Artists explore the memories, traditions and stories that continue to shape Chennai

CHENNAI: Madras may have become Chennai, but much of what the city inherited from its past continues to live on. From Madras checks and filter coffee to its architecture, food, performing arts and changing skyline, these legacies have evolved with the city.

The upcoming art show 'Legacies: Memories, Culture, Traditions: Madras to Chennai', opening at InKo Centre on August 27, brings together eight artists who look at these inheritances through their experiences and artistic practices. Curated by Dr Ashrafi S Bhagat, the exhibition features Dilip Kumar Kesavan, Karthikeyan Pitchaimallian, Kirubakaran N, Preethi Umapathy, Rajesh RV, Ramesh, VR Raviram and Sathya N Prabhu. Working across mediums including printmaking, painting, sculpture and collage, the artists explore different aspects of the city and its transition from Madras to Chennai.

“There are different aspects to the narrative of Madras, in terms of art, architecture, sculpture, cuisine and everyday life. All of these are legacies,” says Ashrafi.

For her, the change in the city's official name did not mean that its earlier identity disappeared. “Chennai has grown into a cosmopolitan city, but its inheritances continue, often in changed forms. For eg; Madras checks is a tradition we have always had and which developed from colonial times. It is about the intersection of various legacies, how they meet, how they differ, how they have developed and transformed into what they are today,” she says.

The changes are most visible in the city itself. Buildings and neighbourhoods have changed, the skyline has been transformed and many familiar landmarks have disappeared. “Yet, the memories attached to these spaces remain. The entire skyline of Chennai has changed over the decades. It is the memory that we still carry,” points out Ashrafi.

The same is true of food and textiles. “Dosa has changed with time, while Kancheepuram sarees and Madras checks continue to be part of the city's cultural vocabulary, albeit in newer forms. The eight artists interpret these changes differently.”

One of the artists uses abstraction, colour, texture and materials to convey how the city has transformed. Two printmakers use the medium to explore different stages of the city's evolution. Artist Rajesh RV works with collage, reflecting his sensibility and perception of Chennai, while Sathya N Prabhu approaches the city through her interpretation of its transition. Watercolourist Kirubakaran N looks at Chennai's shrinking water bodies, while also capturing the sea and fishing, both of which are connected to the city's identity. Another work turns to an older Chennai, featuring the Central Station and a cycle rickshaw in monochrome.

For Ashrafi, the strength of the exhibition lies in these different perspectives. “The artists are not attempting to present one version of Chennai, but responding to the city through their memories and experiences. Each one of them has interpreted what they have felt and what they have to say,” she says.'

Legacies: Memories, Culture, Traditions: Madras to Chennai' will be on display from August 27 to September 22 at The Gallery, InKo Centre.