Between Black & White
an exhibiton of woodcut prints - vijay pichumani
"I work in colour sometimes, but I guess the images I most connect to, historically speaking, are in black and white.
I see more in black and white - I like the abstraction of it." ……. Mary Ellen Mark.
Vijay Pichumani is known for his contemporary style of woodcuts and this show is primarily about showcasing his early series of wood cut. Vijay known for his massive size of woodcut, here in this show we will be displaying around 20 prints.
Soon after college, his family wanted him to earn money and contribute to expenses. So he went back to his village. There, amidst the quarrel about his future, Pichumani heard tens of crow's quibbling outside. Ï felt it was similar to the fight in my family” he says. Rushing out he found one crow dead and hordes flying around in circles, cawing. Enthralled by the scene, he began to draw the birds. Soon after he convinced his family and came back to Chennai. Here he found a dead crow. He picked it up brought it back to the studio and started studying it, thus beginning his crow series. For four years he studied nature and the elements.
“The art of printmaking is a visual exploration of using nature to portray my eye from my perspective. I follow woodcut a relief printing technique in printmaking. The wood used for printmaking is a gift from nature. I combine my thoughts, feelings, and emotions with the wood, making it meaningful and vibrant says the 30 year old artist.
Vijay Pichumani born in 1987 in Kanya Kumari in Tamil, Vijay Pichumani currently works in Chennai , he has completed his BFA in 2009 and MFA in 2011, both from the Government college of Arts and Crafts. Chennai. Both times he was awarded the best outgoing student award in 2012, He received State Award by the Oviya Nunkalai Kuzhu, Chennai and a Scholarship grant from the Lalit Kala Academy, he has been awarded by the Foundations such as Arnavas Vasudev and Chandra Ilango Art Foundation. Vijay is also the receipt of the Jennifer Neblett Memorial Award for best student in Print Making. Vijay is the recipient of the prestigious 56th National Award for Wood Cut Print.
