Filling the void left by words

“A poet or writer even after expressing himself through words often has a feeling that there is something more to say. To complete the void created by the unspoken words I took to the medium of painting,” says K Jayakumar, Chief Secretary, at the preview of his seventh painting exhibition ‘Gitanjali-Tribute to Tagore’ being held at the Durbar Hall Art Centre. Through 14 paintings out of a total of 24 artworks, Jayakumar explores the vast visual possibilities of Rabindranath Tagore’s Gitanjali. Jayakumar has aesthetically given a visual interpretation for the poems that convey the spiritual dimension of human situations. What has been the motive for choosing Gitanjali ? “I have been reading Gitanjali for the last 45 years and I feel that the collection of poems has been growing with me and I am growing with it,” he says.

The artist has chosen select verses from Gitanjali which has vast visual possibilities. “This is my way of paying homage to Tagore. After reading the poems, I felt that Tagore who could etch pictures with his simple yet powerful words, has left some things unsaid,”  says Jayakumar, who will be retiring soon from his post. “Till now I drew occasionally for the purpose of exhibitions, but after retirement I plan to draw daily, as art gives me immense satisfaction,” he adds.     

Apart from being a civil servant, Jayakumar is an author, poet, translator, lyricist, artist, scriptwriter, and film-maker. “I am basically a poet but it is written  nowhere that I can be a poet alone. Sometimes I feel that words are not enough to express myself and in those times, painting has always helped me,” he says when asked on how he liked   to be addressed.

Jayakumar, who likes contemporary art says, “It was in Delhi that I got the chance to see a lot of exhibitions by eminent artists. I observed them and learned the nuances of each and every painting. Now I have created my own style.”

Verse XLV from a painting on display says  “Have you not heard his silent steps? He comes, comes, ever comes.” This is one of Jayakumar’s favourite. “The verse tells that God comes to every place and at every moment.

He will come, be it in the rain on a July night, the thunderous clouds or in all the sad and happy situations,” explains Jayakumar. Through the painting ‘Mindscape’, the artist takes a closer look at understanding the human mind. The exhibition is on till October 7 and is organised by Palette People.