M.S. Anand (MSA): The two paintings which measure 13 feet by 8 feet may be two of the largest of Mysore style of paintings. But how it came about is quite ordinary. The team that had been tasked for executing art installations at several airports in the country wanted to encourage local artists first and I was part of some 20 odd artists from Karnataka and other States to show our portfolio of works. Quite unprepared, I had taken only one sample and that was of a traditional Mysore style painting. This seems to have made an impression and I was given the commission to execute the work.

At this point I was asked to come to Delhi where the Design firm, which had landed the contract, was located and I spent a month there and showed more than 50 sketches and rough cuts before two were chosen.

RGS: It is generally understood that the classical Mysore or Tanjore style centre around religious motifs. That’s the classical form. But you seem to have taken artistic licence a step further… Is there a symbolism here?

MSA: No! There is no intention of showing religious sentiments in this artwork as the art installation at the airport is secular in nature. The central form of the male figure in my artwork is not meant to be religious in character. It should not be seen as a deity but as a celestial being. Similar is the form of winged beings; the viewer is not expected to read religious insights into it. I have used this iconography only as an aid to creativity. For instance the influence of Ajanta and Ellora murals can be seen in my paintings… Besides even techniques used are different… Both paintings are oil and acrylic paint based since they should last for at least a few decades with proper maintenance.

RGS: The classical Mysore or Tanjore style uses figures of deities like Rama, Krishna and others. What made you choose the ones who look like, for me, Vishnu and the Garuda, to serve as the creative launch pad as it were?

MSA: The original association of the deities is with wind and flying just as aeroplanes and we wanted the paintings at the airport to be associated with that theme. Again, I must emphasise that religious leanings were avoided since an airport per se is a secular place…

RGS: Creating and executing paintings of this size… was it a one-man-effort? Did you paint both of them by yourself ?

MSA: No. I had a team of 10 assistants to help me. Not all of them were experienced in executing Mysore style of paintings and they had to be taught. Look, the figures in both the Mysore and the Tanjore style are done in different styles. My assistants had to unlearn their academic style technique and learn the technique of Mysore style.

RGS: And are your assistants local artists?

MSA: Yes, I had hand-picked them from last year’s Dasara Chitra Santhe. I looked for signs of originality and technique in them. I was lucky and the ten of them worked very well.

RGS: How long did it take for you and your team to execute these paintings?

MSA: Six months and at regular intervals the team of Delhi supervised what we were doing, made suggestions and more importantly listened to our suggestions. In the end it gave us a lot of satisfaction…

RGS: Anand, you do not hail from a traditional artist’s (Chitragar) family and hence many conservatives may consider you not to be cut in the classical mould of an artist. But then times have changed, or better still, they are instrumental in changing the time! How did this fascination for traditional Mysore Style of Paintings come about in you?

MSA: Well, yes! I do not come from a traditional artist’s family. My first encounter with traditional classical paintings, as a young boy, was with Tanjore paintings at Salem in Tamil Nadu. I was drawn towards it like iron to magnet and made up my mind to learn to paint that way. My father was in the Railway Postal service or RMS as it was called and we moved from place to place; he was often transferred to various stations of Tamil Nadu before we came to Mysore. Here, I discovered Mysore School of Painting and was equally fascinated. I joined Chamarajendra Academy of Visual Arts (CAVA) at Mysore and at that time Prof. V.M. Sholapurkar was the head of the institution. He and my teachers encouraged me a lot.

RGS: Was it after your studies at CAVA that you established your own studio?

MSA: After my studies at CAVA, I made several Mysore style paintings which I sold for Rs. 1,000 each to buyers in Chennai. At this point I joined Chettinad Vidhyashram in Chennai where I learnt the traditional skills involved in painting Tanjore and Mysore style. I made it a point to attend various artist-camps where I learnt further and displayed my works. The going was often difficult. The earnings were meagre and periodic. Of course, I must not forget to mention late artist C. Kuppachar of the Archaeology Department here in Mysore who constantly encouraged me!

RGS: Anand, what is it being an artist in Mysore?

MSA (smiles wryly): Very difficult… I have to admit… local artists live in their own world and there is no fraternal bonding, discussions or… or… it is a strange life. An artist in Mysore does not relate to other artists… Each to himself… Maybe I am being too cynical (his voice trails off…)

RGS: What do you mean by that?

MSA: Look at Cholamandalam established by Panicker in Chennai. That is an artists’ collective, a meeting place for artists… Mysore in spite of having a rich tradition of art that was patronised by the Mysore Maharajas, today does not have a meeting place for artists to gather, debate and discus each other’s work…

RGS: Let us have another cup of this exquisite tea, an Indianised version of Zen and the tea ceremony. May be there will soon be a silver lining on the horizon… Anand, one last question and it is the tea that is responsible… What next?

MSA: Well, I will be creating another pair of paintings for the Mumbai International Airport and hope to start work soon. This will be double the size of the paintings that I have done for the Bangalore International Airport. Yes, they too will be in the Mysore style… Then let’s see…

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Feature Articles / November 03rd, 2013