Paris Mohan Kumar’s artworks are a wakeup call towards atrocities against women, nature, tribals
Kumar, who was honoured by UNESCO in 1988 as one of the 40 greatest artists in the world, addresses the miserable conditions of poverty, disease and violence faced by tribal communities through his paintings
Artist Paris Mohan Kumar with an artwork at his exhibition in Kochi. (Photo: Mona Hareesh) By Mona Hareesh
A month-long exhibition by Mohan Kumar — better known as Paris Mohan Kumar — in Kochi serves as an artistic wakeup call towards atrocities in society against women, tribal communities, and nature.
Inaugurated on February 2 at David Hall in Fort Kochi, Kumar’s paintings are as fervent and poignant as the causes he represents. With vivid colours and dexterous strokes, he meticulously blends women and nature in his artworks. Some of his paintings are even inspired from real-life locations that he visited in his 17-year-long sojourn, during which he devoted most of his time for the cause of preservation of nature and forest communities.
Kumar’s paintings are an artistic wakeup call towards atrocities against women. (Photo: Mona Hareesh)
Kumar, who was honoured by UNESCO in 1988 as one of the 40 greatest artists in the world, addresses the miserable conditions of poverty, disease and violence faced by tribal communities through his paintings. According to him, the poor farmers are continuously exploited by landowners who take half of their profits, and the middlemen who buy their products for far less than their original worth. He believes the public is too willing to buy imported food products termed as ‘organic’, but is not supportive of native farmers.
Kumar is working with communities in Kerala to build a system where farmers’ produce can be sold in the public markets through which they can be assured of a respectable remuneration. In fact, he aims to use the proceeds from his paintings at the exhibition to fund the process of collection, packaging, transportation and selling of agri-produce. He says creating a livelihood through organic farming helps to prevent these communities from cutting down trees or poaching animals.
A Paris Mohan Kumar painting on display. (Photo: Mona Hareesh)
Through such pursuits, Kumar’s craft aims to uphold his radical voice of the unheard.
“Humankind is selfish. Everyone prays to God to save themselves and their families. But no one prays for the nature, for the forests, for the deer or the tiger,” says Kumar.
(Mona Hareesh is an intern with indianexpress.com, based in Kochi)
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