KOCHI: Friendship is that magical ingredient often celebrated in sappy quotes, catchy songs and epic stories. It is something even the most solitary among us cannot escape — like a secret superpower that gets us through the rough patches and helps us level up together. Since Friendship Day just came and went, there is no better time to talk about two best friends who not only stick together but also make good art.
Aswathy Aravindakshan, an assistant professor of English, and Shaheen Nadeem, an English language trainer, have been exploring their creative skills and love for colours ever since the Covid times. Friends for over 20 years, they have spent countless hours chatting about everything from art, colours, and poetry to the quirks of language. Now, standing in their very own art exhibition, ‘Intuitive Impressions,’ at the Vyloppilly Samskrithi Bhavan Art Gallery, it feels like they have finally curated the masterpiece of their creative dreams.
Aswathy Aravindakshan brings her 40 abstract paintings to life under the title ‘Alchemy,’ symbolising the magical process of transformation, creation, and combination. On the flip side, Shaheen Nadeem showcases her handmade earthen curios, aptly named ‘Miorah,’ meaning a reflection of beauty. Together, these two artists created a dynamic and empowering exploration of what it means to be a woman.
“We both have loved art since childhood,” Shaheen says. “But we never had much time to delve into it because of our wor.