Trees are essential for life and have always occupied an important place in myths, folklores and religions. K K Muhammed, a Vadodara-based artist, has used this aspect as the base for a series of works during his first-ever exhibition which was held recently in Kochi.

His paintings depict the malignancy of various maladies prevalent in our society, and the way they have crippled us. Be it discrimination against women, domestic violence, male domination or the exploitation of environment for human need, the artist has used trees as a spokesperson to highlight the issue.

“Every person has a close contact with trees,” says Muhammed. “Many of us have been influenced by the positive aura of trees, even without being aware of it. Hence, those who see these paintings will be able to identify the inner truth that I am trying to convey,” he says.

In two paintings, a log of wood occupies prime position. While the log represents consumerism in one work, it represents opulence of the rulers of the past and the present in another. “Consumerism has become a bane,” says Muhammed. “People today try to find out ways to get things done without effort. The ‘lesser the hard work the better it is’ has become the motto of this generation.”

Nothing has changed much, believes Muhammed. “The rulers of yore and the present are the same lot. Opulence binds them together. The log of wood in the picture cries out against the greed of the rulers which should be satisfied at any cost,” says the artist. These paintings also highlight male dominance and try to depict how men have hold the reins of the society while relegating women to do menial tasks.

A tree stands alone in one of the paintings in sepia. At one glance, a person cannot notice, but when one looks closely, various images peek out of the stem and branches. Hidden among the leaves and bark are the images of men and women along with various implements that we use in daily life. A thorn can be seen piercing a leaf, which again, highlights the brutal nature of man. Mainly, how he doesn’t flinch from trampling and back-stabbing others to reach his goal. Muhammed has also done a set of paintings on burnt wood. “I wanted to show that the nature is both the creator and destroyer,” he says. “The tender buds and flowers sprouting from the dead wood show the continuity of life. It also shows that nature is forgiving.”A painting, which highlights the hardships of women, catches the eye. The picture depicts how a woman looks after every single need of her family. The tender nature of the gender has been brought up to light through the image of a pregnant woman sitting with a rabbit on her lap.

“Men are self-oriented by nature and they do not hesitate to slander even their mothers for their own gain. They are afflicted by a grave malady called narcissism,” says Muhammed. The artist has depicted his belief in one of his paintings which is based on the story of young Narcissus, a Greek mythological character.

The artist is critical to the great importance that society gives to men. He points out this aspect in another painting which portrays various day-to-day affairs that we come across, things like the railings of a fence, the various objects that are used in the household and also symbols of religious importance.

Muhammed has received many awards, including the Bombay Arts Award and Kerala Lalithakala Akademi award, among others. He has done nine solo shows so far and been a part of more than 45 group shows. A postgraduate from Kala Bhavan, Visva Bharati at Santiniketan, the artist is planning to indulge in his other love, sculpting. “I will be exhibiting my works in a year or so,” says Muhammed.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Magazine / by Anu C.Kuruvilla / February 20th, 2016