60 wounds that talk volumes of affection

Express News Service
KANNUR: He has been carrying these wounds for the previous 14 years. For a military man, one would mistake the scars are from the battles he fought. But these are wounds of affection. And Colonel V P Suresan, 63, has chosen to etch them on canvas.

“These wounds will never heal. I will walk into the sunset carrying them with me,” he stated quite stoically.

The exhibition of his work, titled ’60 Wounds’, which started on April 17 at “Space” artwork gallery, owned by well-known artist Hareendran Chaladu, has been drawing many artwork fanatics. Most of the work exhibited listed here are in acrylic and are termed “poster poems”, a comparatively unusual style amongst Kerala artists. The frequent theme that connects all of the work is his unquenchable love for his spouse, who died in 2007.

“That lonely star found among the dark clouds was you. Perhaps, you had come to see me, by deceiving the eyes of God” says one poem. The portray exhibits the imprecise face of a lady stuffed with sorrow amongst clouds.

“The road was full of thorns. You changed those thorns into flowers by kissing them,” says one other one, accompanied by the portray of a cactus. There are 60 such brief poems and sketches, talking voluminously about his love for his spouse.

“In these paintings, I have tried to give life to the four or five lines of poems I have written over the years”. His spouse Vijaya, died after a surgical procedure in 2007. “I was not ready for the shock then. I was devastated and the feeling of loneliness had started eating into my consciousness. Then I started reading “Kannuneerthulli” of Nalappattu Narayna Menon, which inspired me to write,” stated Suresan.

A local of Chala, Kannur, Suresan completed his education in Palakkad the place his father was a instructor. Drawing instructor, and his father’s good friend, M V Ittoop taught him the fundamentals of drawing.

But the curiosity in drawing and literature suffered after he joined the military in 1975 and was posted to distant elements of the nation. “Then, I thought about literature and arts only during my vacation. But, soon things changed, and I was lucky enough to chase my passion even during my days with the army,” he stated.

“Initially, I was doubtful whether to exhibit these poster poems as they are purely personal. An outsider may not be able to understand the emotions behind these creations. But, when I showed them to poet Satchidanandan, he agreed to write a forward to my poems, which gave me the confidence to carry on,” Suresan stated. But, that was in 2017. It took 4 extra years earlier than the world noticed his love on canvass.

Suresan has printed two assortment of poems, “Kuttikal Achanum Ammayum Kalikkumbol” and “Thimira kalam”. Retired from the military in 2011 after 36-year stint, he’s now settled in Chala and fairly energetic in cultural actions in Kannur.