Kathakali, an Indian classical dance form that found its roots in the temple towns of Kerala, is truly one of the most vibrant and enigmatic dance forms. The heavy caked layers of makeup, the over exaggerated facial features, the heavy rich layers of clothing and the tantalising long silver nails makes for a treat for the eyes. I remember watching a Kathakali performance at one of my cousins weddings in Kerala and every graceful move and facial expression left me awestruck. Another influence or rather a memory I have of Kathakali as a dance form is a movie I watched - ' Vanaprastham' with the South Indian actor idol 'Mohan Lal', thank God for subtitles for us pseudo- mallus, the movie wouldn't have made much sense without it. It unveiled a side of the art form that most people don't get to see, a melancholic tale riddled with alcoholism , caste discrimination it's definitely a movie I recommend.
From an artist point of view, the Kathakali dancer is a challenge because it goes against the fundamentals of proportions and aesthetics. Starting with the almost ghoulish base colour of a face which is green, to add to it there are facial features that are over exaggerated, like the bloodshot eyes, the heavy kohl and almost unrealistic lip shape. There is many a Kathakali artwork I've come across that lands up making the dancer look unappealing.
The challenge is capturing the beauty in the non-conformity. It's not an easy task and I'm not sure I've been able to do so, but every Kathakali dancer kettle I've painted tests that.
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