TN: May Day and Karl Marx Anniversary Observed Through art
SV Venugopalan
“A painting is never finished - it simply stops in interesting places.”
-- Paul Gardner
A HARD-WORKING woman walks with a headload of materials towards a one-rupee-coin that appears disproportionately large, making it not so easily accessible to her.
This is not a scene from an emotional street play but a powerful painting by an artist, Chinnaraja. A note below the painting reads: 'When I asked for one rupee for buying some sweetmeats in my younger days, I vividly remember her asking in pain: ‘How much I had to toil for securing that single rupee which you so effortlessly seek from me?'
The artist adds that the lady had gone to work even that day, on May 1, with little knowledge that it was Workers' Day.
Another painting depicts a coconut tree climber approaching the tree, relying on two ropes for support. One rope symbolizes the holy thread or mangal sutra he tied around his wife's neck during their marriage. The other rope represents the umbilical cord connecting him to his unborn child in his wife's womb. The man makes a tightrope walk even as the clock shows that he’s worked beyond eight hours. The ropes in the artwork that tie him to the tree and home, metaphorically represent the social compulsions to maintain the family that bind him to his family and home. He is strained by timeless labour and hapless family position. This was by Kaveri, a differently-abled artist, who painted the picture with only one hand.
Speaking volumes is the painting of a giant tree nurtured by women diligently tending to their daily chores, ensuring the tree's well-being. Interestingly, the tree is not rooted in open land but rather in a mud pot, symbolising a confined space. In the accompanying note, the artist, Thiyagarajan, offers an explanation for his work. He highlights the significant presence of women in the workforce, being part of the proletariat, yet their roles are often diminished to that of a bonsai tree within the confines of their homes.
The painting of a wooden chair sitting crosslegged mocks the denial of resting time to workers.
These are only a few of the numerous paintings and artwork that were displayed at an exhibition organised by the CPI(M) Central Chennai district committee at the Kerala Samajam Hall on May 27 and 28.
In the last week of April this year, a group of artists gathered for a discussion and collectively decided to commemorate May Day and Karl Marx's birth anniversary (May 5) by creating artwork centered around the theme of 'labour'. The outcome was a collection of spectacular artworks that vividly depicted concepts such as surplus labour, profit maximisation, the ceaseless suffering imposed upon workers, and their continued enslavement within the context of the modern technological era. The artworks effectively conveyed the ongoing struggles faced by workers and provided a powerful commentary on the exploitation inherent in the pursuit of profit.
The paintings portrayed gender inequality in a striking manner. One particular artist employed menstrual blood across the canvas, aiming to draw attention to the complex connection between women's menstruation and labour.
M. Suchitra, a sub-editor at The Hindu Tamil daily, expressed her surprise and admiration for the Communist movement's embrace of alternative art forms. Art forms are usually confined and accessed by the elite class. She commended their efforts in utilising these art forms to explore different avenues for exposing exploitation. Reflecting on history, she drew attention to an artist who depicted the final moments of Socrates, the renowned philosopher, as he faced death by hemlock, titling it as the 'problem of dissent.' Suchitra highlighted the continued presence of dissent being suppressed in contemporary times. She emphasized that artwork has the power to express profound messages in a succinct manner, often surpassing the need for hours of speech.
Ramamurthi, the secretary of the multi-media unit responsible for coordinating with the artists and organising the event, warmly welcomed the gathering.
G Selva, secretary of the Central Chennai district committee of the CPI (M), explained the significance of the event. He said the artists had come together at the Nares Pal Auditorium of the Bank Employees Federation of India, Tamilnadu on April 30 and May 1 to create their artwork on a shared theme, which they had executed with remarkable power and impact. Selva also extended an invitation to everyone to attend the screening of rare international films with revolutionary content, taking place in the same venue. The film screenings were organised by Deepak, the director of the acclaimed film Witness, which shed light on the issue of justice for men who perished in septic tanks. The inauguration of the film screening was conducted by renowned film director Ravikumar.
On May 28, in a gesture of appreciation for their remarkable work, mementoes were presented to the artists. K Balakrishnan, CPI(M) state secretary, lauded the artists for their outstanding performance and commended them for inspiring approximately 130 children present at the venue to explore their own artistic abilities. He also released a book titled "My Experiences in the Underground Life" by P Sreenivasa Rao. The book, originally released in October 1947 by Com MR Venkatraman, secretary of the state unit of the then united Communist Party, has now been republished by Parisal publications.
Highlighting the extraordinary qualities of the late leader Sreenivasa Rao, who courageously mobilised and organised the farm workers who were exploited, many of whom were from dalit communities, to wage a relentless fight against the powerful landlords in the Eastern part of the then Thanjavur district, Balakrishnan recalled the sacrifices made by Communist leaders and their invaluable contributions to social transformation. Actress and social worker Rohini greeted the artists, emphasizing the immense power held by the pen and the painting brush as potent weapons that have the ability to disrupt and challenge the established powers-that-be.
During the valedictory meeting on the second day, film director Raju Murugan expressed his profound admiration for the events that unfolded over the two days. P Shanmugam, Central Committee member of CPI (M), commended the district committee for organising such a programme.
The success and recognition received by the art exhibition and film screenings was evident as they garnered extensive viewership and appreciation. The significance of promoting revolutionary ideas within the cultural sphere, and through cultural endeavors was felt by all.
