KOCHI: Art works miracles on those who endure pain — physical and emotional. It heals, offering a refuge and a tranquil space where one can express emotions and find happiness. And in all these processes, art adds dollops to the self-esteem of those working on it and those enjoying it.
Art came to Vinod Marar when a sudden bout of illness left him with no memories of his past life. It was in 2005 when he was in the UK that Vinod suffered a stroke. It paralysed the right side of his body.
Bedridden for a year after that, he struggled with impaired speech. The following months were full of treatment and therapy. He endured those days, with just one thought deep — he was not ready to give up, hence, to fight it out.
To recuperate faster, Vinod joined a Stroke Survivors Club in the UK that encourages survivors to stimulate their memories, emotions, and awareness through art. It was there that the doors of art opened before him. A person who had never painted before took the brush, his left hand shivering as he held it.
The days after that saw him hone his skills. The practice period stretched for decades. With time, he slowly emerged as a passionate artist.
Now, Vinod is back home in Chottanikkara to show his art to his hometown. His maiden exhibition was in London. His solo titled ‘Gateway to My Soul’ aptly unveils his journey.
The works are on display at the Gaya Art Gallery at Prussian Blue Art in Kochi. For him, art is in fact a way to narrate stories that spring from his soul to the viewer. Vinod wants to further delve into his art, he explains, taking inspiration from people around him, nature, and music, and creating strokes that speak and evoke emotions.
There are traces of slur when Vinod talks, but that does not stop the 53-year-old from trying to explain his passion, picking up words one by one. The reflections of the words he keeps repeating can be found throughout his paintings. But which is his favourite? He flashes an innocent smile and points to “the one with a cross in it”.
It contains “the cross, Jesus, two men in white and black faces...
,” Vinod explains. Through each painting, he conveys emotions. “Focus,” he points to his work of a deer.
The mix of emotions — love, anger, happiness, tranquillity, peace — is for all to see. His use of vibrant colours brightens up the space and brings positivity to an art lover. The colour schemes convey a lot about his passion for the art and the hope he exudes.
With a smile, he adds, his favourite colours, visible always in his abstract works — “red, blue and white”. His stock has over 15 abstract paintings, a few portraits of famous personalities done in pencil, and well-composed photographs of flowers. Vinod says he wishes to donate the proceeds from the sale for the welfare of children with disabilities of the Seenai Residential School in Uzhavoor, Kottayam.
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