Chennai artist Rudhra reimagines mythology and beauty through his art

CHENNAI: Chennai-based Rudhra's mother was the anchor in creating a bond between her son and art. While she was pregnant, she created artwork during her leisure time. Since he was a toddler, Rudhra has leaned towards pencils and crayons to make scribbled works.

When he was enrolled in school, Rudhra was constantly bullied by his peers for his name. “As I was naturally drawn towards art, I used to take part in kolam decorations. My friends typecast it to be feminine, and isolated me,” starts Rudhra, who is now into production design. However, that pain transformed the artist in him, driving him to work tirelessly and shape his thoughts on equality, breaking the stereotype, ‘Ponnu maathiri irukka’.

While studying class 7, Rudhra began drawing eyes and human figures. “Indian mythology fascinates me, and I try to incorporate Indian elements and aesthetics. Also I am obsessed with eyes. They signify visual observation. Moreover, I believe that the soul of my art pieces lies in the eyes of the observer. Most of my portraits stare at the onlookers directly, conveying unspoken stories,” he says.

Rudhra realised the power of art in class 9 when he was asked to prepare poikkal kuthirai using paper-based materials. “That recognition changed my identity, and my peers started treating me with respect,” he adds. After exploring different media within the broad spectrum of art, the budding artist began questioning the very idea of beauty. “Once, when I was looking at a calendar, I observed that beauty has been restricted to fair complexion and minimal jewellery. There is a mesmerising beauty in dusky skin tones, broad and bold jewellery, and attire that reflects the authenticity of the Tamil region as well,” shares the artist, who is now working as a creative director to rapper Lady Kash. He delved deep into the history and culture of Tamil Nadu through carvings and sculptures.

The artist in him brought to life the vision of blending mythological characters with his artistic touch. “I reimagined the characters in Ponniyin Selvan and did a series on that. I am also working on a series about Tamil flowers like nochi, vechi, and many more. In that, my personal favourite is a work inspired by the senganthal flower. Senga’s captivating eyes always stun me,” elucidates the 25-year-old.

Looking to his future works, Rudhra is gearing up to create art pieces related to feminism. “Working on such subjects, I feel a sense of belonging and immerse myself in the world of art,” he concludes.