Kerala fresco style taught to Students of Kerala

22 August 2013
Thrissur

The entrance to the hallway of this school building is adorned by a colorful, three-panelled mural hanging from the ceiling. The painting, which features characters with richly textured costumes, serves as a reminder to the students of their rich tradition – the glory of mural art.

In an unusual initiative, the St.Sebastian’s High School in Pavaratty has initiated a year-long programme for its students in the 15th century Kerala fresco style. It aims to deepen and enrich the young generation’s understanding of the state’s cultural heritage while honing their artistic skills.

The resource person of the ongoing training, in which about 45 students are taking part, is Sreelaja Haridas, daughter of the renowned artist Elavally Naryanan Achari.

In addition, exhibitions and workshops on the ancient art form by professional artists are also being planned. “Kerala has a rich tradition of ancient murals, which are unique for their beauty, clarity and symmetry. By training these students in the art, we aim to revitalize a tradition that is unique to our state’’, explained Johnson CV, headmaster.

On completion of the training, the school authorities are also planning to hold an exhibition of the murals drawn by its students. “While most of the traditional murals depict predominantly religious and mystic themes and episodes from the epics, we are striving to give a contemporary touch to the art by tweaking the traditional techniques and subjects’’, said KP Benny, who coordinates the training programme.

Source – http://www.deccanchronicle.com

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