A search for tranquility
Joy of being a woman
Soft strokes of both bold and mild colors filled the canvas. A skill for abstract paintings, with simple yet arresting factors, can be found in the various works of artist Prasanna Gresillan, which were exhibited at the Elements Art Gallery from 3rd to 28th February.
Painting her dreams
The paintings featured exuded a dream like quality, and seem to be filled with tranquility. The creator herself admits that, she has a certain fondness for dreams and often paints them. Prasanna Gresillan paints her whims, her past and her dreams using charcoal and acrylics as her choice of medium. Most of her paintings feature women in different stages of life, exhibiting various emotions. One of them was unique, featuring a woman Buddha. When asked about this she remarks, “Does it always have to be a man? Why not a woman as Buddha? ”
Another painting, filled with bold and bright colors and a simple background reflects her childhood in her native place, Kerala. There’s also a painting of her mother’s feet. The question about her being a feminist was inevitably raised due to the many women-centric paintings featured. “I am not a feminist at the core of my mind. I just happen to think that, in a world where the state of women and children are good, everything is good.”
Memories from back home in the form of a painting
The path which led her here
Prasanna Gresillan was born and brought up in Kottayam, Kerala. She completed her Masters in Literature and pursued Journalism. She has written numerous articles which were mostly based on cultural, political and women based issues. Prasanna worked as a reporter and sub-editor for 3 years, after which she started freelancing.
Exposures and Experiences
Prasanna has been inordinately blessed in many factors, one among them being living and learning life with great personalities. She has learnt and lived with Kamala Das, a great writer and poet by whom Prasanna was very much influenced.
Flight to Paris – City of Art and Culture
Prasanna lived and studied the art of practicing art in Paris, for 13 years after her work in Kerala. She studied at the School of Visual Art and started to paint and exhibit in France. She reflects that she used to seek out forests and country yards to paint, as they were quiet and peaceful, a characteristic of her environment that she now misses.
Prasanna giving life through her strokes
Studying and practicing art in Paris opened up many opportunities to feature her work and also exposed her to many exceptional people like Nicole Dumont, a well-known painter, Jancy Jacob, an ecologist, Eric Vivier her teacher and a well-known painter and Hélène Cixous, intellectual feminist and literary critic.
Art and life in Pondicherry
Prasanna owns an art gallery in Pondicherry constructed according to her own style, which acts as a place to paint or exhibit any art work of any individual. She is now writing a novel which is based upon her life experiences in Kerala and France.
Photos: Prasanna Gresillan
Sooganya N.
1st, M.A. Mass Communication
