Friday 19 / April / 2024
Muscat: A well-known Tanjore painting artist in Oman has created a khanjar painting in gold as a tribute to Oman’s 46th National Day celebrations.
Kavitha Ramakrishna, the Muscat-based Indian artist, who is also a practitioner of the Tanjore painting art form, has made eight pieces of khanjar in 24 carat gold, ranging from sizes of 10x12 centimetres (cm) to 12x15 cm.
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Tanjore painting is a classical South Indian painting style, whose origin can be traced back to the town of Thanjavur (anglicised as Tanjore) and spread across the adjoining and geographically contiguous Tamil country.
The art form draws its immediate resources and inspiration from the 1600 AD.
Tanjore paintings are characterised by their rich, flat and vivid colours, simple iconic composition, glittering gold foils overlaid on delicate, but extensive gesso work, and an inlay of glass beads and pieces or very rarely precious and semi-precious gems.
“Gold is used in Tanjore painting. I have created Oman monuments and other traditional artefacts in the past using Tanjore painting methods. This one is a gift for those who are proud of celebrating Oman’s 46th National Day,” Kavitha told the Times of Oman.
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“It took around 75 days to complete one piece. A lot of time and focus is need as it is being made in gold,” she added.
In the past, Kavitha has blended Oman’s culture and tradition with the ancient Indian art form.
Kavitha’s paintings are famous for their elegance, brightness, and beauty. She also uses her creativity in oil painting even though she is very fond of Tanjore paintings.
She is very much enthralled by the cultural harmony that exists between the Sultanate of Oman and India, which inspired her to blend Tanjore paintings with the culture of Oman. Living in Oman for almost a decade has given her insight into its people and culture.
“I have dedicated a lot of my work to different themes, such as the forts of Oman, Omani jewellery, the Holy Quran, and the Grand Mosque to the lovely and friendly people of Oman,” she said.
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Some of her works have been presented to various Omani institutions as a gesture of goodwill and she has received many accolades from the Omani government. The driving force behind her Omani works is Maitha bint Saif Al Mahrouqi, undersecretary, Ministry of Tourism, according to Kavitha.
“I have exhibited close to 40 of my Tanjore art works at the Ministry of Tourism that portrayed Omani jewellery, the forts of Oman, the beautiful khanjars (daggers), and artefacts,” she added.
