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| Francis Kodankandath, Superintendent of Sea Patrolling, Customs, Kozhikode |
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If notation in Western music is an attempt to graphically represent the flowing music, the painting of Francis Kodankandath is an attempt to represent music in more colourful and abstract manner. And to buy his painting, he has set the condition that you have to be either a blood donor or promise to be one.
Francis, Superintendent of Sea Patrolling at Customs, Kozhikode, once saw the beauty of a rainbow that set him thinking of the similarities between the 7 colours of rainbow and the 7 notes of music. Although he has no formal training in painting, he learned Carnatic and Hindustani music for 7½ years. While painting ascending notes, he uses white colour to separate notes. And in the descending scale the separation is through black colour.
He has applied for a software patent for the technique of deriving a collage of colours from music. And he is further doing research into how to convert paintings into music.
As someone who wishes to have a social impact for his art, he insists on blood donation as a qualification for those who wish to acquire his works. He has presented a painting of his to S.Ramanna, a petty shop owner in Bangalore, who has donated blood 137 times.
His Kodankandath Foundation provides scholarships to students who excel in painting and sculpture. Many famous persons like Medha Padkar and Mohal Lal have acquired his paintings.
He has won reward from the Directorate of Customs and Revenue Intelligence 131 times not because his works are on display at art galleries in Mumbai or because he won the Lalitha Kala Academy award in 1993, but for his contribution in apprehending electronic contraband.
Courtesy: Romy Mathew, Malayala Manorama, September 14, 2003
Contributed by: Administrator
