THE ARTIST WHO TURNS WASTE INTO ART
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Ponnan Thampanoor, Thiruvananthapuram |
A Malayali artist who uses waste materials like glass pieces, coir bits and old coins to create his works of art, is gaining recognition outside the State.
V. Sudhakaran Nair, alias Ponnan Thampanoor, a mechanic with KSRTC, is the artist who has gained appreciation of art lovers in USA and UK. His work has been adorning the walls of Russian Embassy in New Delhi.
From childhood days, it was his hobby to collect waste materials and convert them into works of art. While going to the school, he would pick up broken bangles, coir pieces etc. When the collection used to be sufficiently large, he would use them to create animals on the cardboard. Later he would gift them to his friends.
He had the hobby of collecting old coins also. His Kathakali figure, done with old coins of George V and Edward VII era was appreciated by the delegation from UK who chanced to see it. This led to the exposure of his work in the West.
Later many foreigners started approaching him for such works. An official from the Russian Embassy took a liking for a work done using coins and took it to be exhibited on the walls of the Embassy.
His ‘bullock cart’ using old Travancore coins, ‘Geethopadesam’ using broken glass and ‘Bali Theyyam’ using coir are interesting works of art.
He has no ambition to make money from his ability to turn waste into art.
Courtesy: Kerala Kaumudi
Contributed by: Administrator
