Birdlife through an artist’s eye

CHENNAI: Birds take centre stage at Art Cube Gallery in Virugambakkam with ‘Winged Echoes’, an exhibition featuring the works of artists S Jayaraj and R Dhiyaneshwaran.

The exhibition brings together two different painting styles, both inspired by birds and the natural world.

Jayaraj’s works combine watercolour with torn paper, newspaper pieces and collage. His paintings feature birds such as the Common Chaffinch, Blue Tit, Great Indian Bustard, Grey Heron, House Sparrow and Oriental Magpie-Robin.

His interest in birds grew from a six-year sketch-a-day practice, which he began as part of an initiative honouring ornithologist Dr Salim Ali.

Dhiyaneshwaran presents a large collection of watercolour paintings featuring Indian and Asian birds. His works capture the colours, shapes and character of birds such as the Oriental White-eye, Racket-tailed Drongo, Purple Swamphen, Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher, White-bellied Treepie and Eurasian Coot.

His collection also includes the Greater Flameback, Indian Paradise Flycatcher, Pheasant-tailed Jacana, Fire-tailed Sunbird, Asian Openbill, Black-headed Ibis and Black-winged Stilt.

The exhibition features his Egrets Series 1 and 2, a pair of large acrylic works measuring 24 by 36 inches.

While Jayaraj’s paintings look at birds in relation to their habitats, urbanisation and conservation, Dhiyaneshwaran focuses more closely on the birds themselves and their unique features.

Winged Echoes is on view from 10 am to 6 pm until August 30 at Art Cube Gallery, Virugambakkam.