CHENNAI: As part of its 60-year celebrations, Artworld - Sarala’s Art Centre presents Trilogy, a three-man exhibition bringing together C Douglas, K Muralidharan and RM Palaniappan. Conceived by Bishwajit Banerjee, the show reflects on artists who have not only witnessed the journey of the Madras School but have also shaped and extended it in their own ways.
The idea for Trilogy came from a simple yet meaningful impulse. As the gallery approached its milestone year, Bishwajit turned to three artists whose practices are distinct, yet connected through a shared background. What followed was not just the planning of an exhibition, but a continuation of long-standing relationships, conversations, and mutual respect. The show is as much about these associations as it is about the works themselves.
All three artists studied in the same institution, under similar influences, yet their artistic journeys have taken very different directions. “They are close friends. They come from the same background, studied under the same professors, but they speak completely different visual languages. I felt Trilogy was an apt title: three different stories emerging from the same space,” says Bishwajit.
He recalls that the idea took shape during one of his visits to Chennai from Kodaikanal. “As we approached 60 years, I found myself thinking about artists who have lived through the Madras School and contributed to it. These three came to mind instinctively. When I reached out, their response was immediate and warm. There was no hesitation,” he adds.
The exhibition draws from the legacy of the Madras School, one of the most significant movements in modern Indian art. It moved away from academic realism and revivalist styles, encouraging artists to build their own visual language rooted in lived experience and material exploration. Artists like KCS Paniker and S Dhanpal helped shape this approach, creating a space for individuality rather than conformity.
“In Trilogy, that spirit continues. Douglas presents dense, layered works where figures and symbols overlap, creating surfaces that feel inward and intense. Muralidharan’s
practice moves between memory and instinct, with forms that appear playful but carry traces of culture and lived experience. Palaniappan’s works are more restrained, built through line, space, and repetition, resulting in a quiet, meditative quality,” Bishwajit points out.
Rather than bringing these practices together under a single theme, the exhibition allows their differences to stand. Trilogy becomes a space where three distinct voices coexist, each rooted in the same foundation yet moving in its own direction. The exhibition is on view till April 25 at Artworld - Sarala’s Art Centre, Teynampet.