ABOUT THE ARTIST
"My journey is beautiful, it gives me ultimate joy. I believe the joy should be spread. Therefore I share." - Mark Rathinaraj
Mark Rathinaraj is an artist whose soul is rooted in the experiences of the tradition of culture of his hometown, the memories which he carries forward in his visual art making of painting and drawing. Having developed a signatorial style, his canvases and drawings commands immediate recognition to his works. Born in T. Palur, a village near the temple town of Kumbakonam, he had his art education at Kumbakonam College of Fine Arts, where he graduated with a degree in Painting in 1990. Mark's work is strongly influenced by the works of K. M. Adimoolam and the Madras Art Movement.
In the oeuvre of Mark there is a strong attraction towards tradition. A tradition interpreted through his contemporary sensibility, reinventing it and opening space for the reading of new semantic and metaphors. Hence the various classical and folk-dance traditions have been interpreted uniquely. In an impressionistic style of descriptive and subjective brush strokes, he has successfully captured the mood and dynamism of the movement of the dancers, musicians or of rural folk sports. The human form maintains the semblance of physicality without dissolving into abstraction of lines and colours.
The kinetic energy manifesting his art is derived from dance forms as classical Bharatanatyam, Kathakali, Kuchipudi, folk dance as Therukoothu, karakattam, Bhangra, or the, folk sports as Kalari. Interestingly he captures the mood and feelings of these various performers and players in striking action. In the present suite of works the concept of power and energy becomes the driving force that displays resilience, strength and endurance of the human body in performing various activities demanding not only the strength of will but mental discipline. Marked by an abstract vocabulary that is based on the dynamic interplay between expressive gestures and sculpted color shapes, there are skeletons of expressive gestures to which he adds the flesh of colours. While there is tension between line and color, the process is marked by Mark's formal concerns, namely the dynamic dialogue between positive and negative spaces. Playing with the idea of presence and absence the dynamic tension between plenitude and emptiness makes his works not only compelling but strategically structured too.
Mark's art appeals to the emotions as well as the mind. In the silent spaces between his lines and colours that chronicle his journey, reposes the mystery of the movement of the soul, which he is attempting to capture.
Mark lives and works in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
Bio - Data
S. Mark Rathinaraj - 1968 | 1985-1990 D.F.A., College of Fine Arts, Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu. South India.
Solo shows
2018 Asian Art Gallery, Boston, USA
2017 Focus Art Gallery, Chennai
2016 Pitanga Art Gallery, Pondicherry
2014 Asian Art Gallery, Boston, USA
2012 Focus Art Gallery, Chennai
2011 Artexpo, New York, USA
2011 Focus Art Gallery, Chennai
2010 Art Singapore, Suntec City, Singapore
2010 Archana Gallery, Malaysia
2009 Gallerie Fort Zuid, The Netherlands
2009 Point of View Art Gallery, Mumbai
2008 Vinnyasa Premier Art Galery, Chennai
2007 Point of View Art Gallery, Mumbai
2007 Academy of Fine Arts, New Delhi
2006 Lakshana Art Gallery, Bangalore
2006 Lakshana Art Gallery, Hyderabad
2005 Little Italy, Chennai
2004 Taj Fisherman's Cove, Chennai
2004 Vinnyasa Art Premier Galery, Chennai
1999 Chola Sheraton, Chennai
Selected Group Shows
2016 Annual New England Gala 2016, Boston, USA
2014 8th Annual New England Gala, Boston, USA
2014 18th Annual Boston International Fine Art Show
2014 Ninth Annual Chicago Gala, Chicago
2013 New England AIF Gala, Boston, USA
2013 Asian Art Gallery, Boston, USA
2010 'Art Aids Show' The Sheraton, Chennai
2010 'Southern Scape', Singapore
2010 Shrishti Art Gallery, Hyderabad
2009 Apparao Art Gallery, Chennai
2008 Point of View Art Gallery, Mumbai
2008 Athreyaa Art Gallery, Chennai
2008 Apparao Art Gallery, Chennai
2007 Prakrit Arts, Mumbai
2007 Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath, Bangalore
2007 Vinnyasa Art Premier Galery, Chennai
2006 Musuem Gallery, Mumbai
1994 Ovia Nun Kalai Kuzhu, Chennai
1992 Ovia Nun Kalai Kuzhu, Chennai
1991 Trinity Group Show, Trichy
1987 Group Show, Vellore
Mark Rathinaraj is an artist whose soul is rooted in the experiences of the tradition of culture of his hometown, the memories which he carries forward in his visual art making of painting and drawing. Having developed a signatorial style, his canvases and drawings commands immediate recognition to his works. Born in T. Palur, a village near the temple town of Kumbakonam, he had his art education at Kumbakonam College of Fine Arts, where he graduated with a degree in Painting in 1990. Mark's work is strongly influenced by the works of K. M. Adimoolam and the Madras Art Movement.
In the oeuvre of Mark there is a strong attraction towards tradition. A tradition interpreted through his contemporary sensibility, reinventing it and opening space for the reading of new semantic and metaphors. Hence the various classical and folk-dance traditions have been interpreted uniquely. In an impressionistic style of descriptive and subjective brush strokes, he has successfully captured the mood and dynamism of the movement of the dancers, musicians or of rural folk sports. The human form maintains the semblance of physicality without dissolving into abstraction of lines and colours.
The kinetic energy manifesting his art is derived from dance forms as classical Bharatanatyam, Kathakali, Kuchipudi, folk dance as Therukoothu, karakattam, Bhangra, or the, folk sports as Kalari. Interestingly he captures the mood and feelings of these various performers and players in striking action. In the present suite of works the concept of power and energy becomes the driving force that displays resilience, strength and endurance of the human body in performing various activities demanding not only the strength of will but mental discipline. Marked by an abstract vocabulary that is based on the dynamic interplay between expressive gestures and sculpted color shapes, there are skeletons of expressive gestures to which he adds the flesh of colours. While there is tension between line and color, the process is marked by Mark's formal concerns, namely the dynamic dialogue between positive and negative spaces. Playing with the idea of presence and absence the dynamic tension between plenitude and emptiness makes his works not only compelling but strategically structured too.
Mark's art appeals to the emotions as well as the mind. In the silent spaces between his lines and colours that chronicle his journey, reposes the mystery of the movement of the soul, which he is attempting to capture.
Mark lives and works in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
Bio - Data
S. Mark Rathinaraj - 1968 | 1985-1990 D.F.A., College of Fine Arts, Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu. South India.
Solo shows
2018 Asian Art Gallery, Boston, USA
2017 Focus Art Gallery, Chennai
2016 Pitanga Art Gallery, Pondicherry
2014 Asian Art Gallery, Boston, USA
2012 Focus Art Gallery, Chennai
2011 Artexpo, New York, USA
2011 Focus Art Gallery, Chennai
2010 Art Singapore, Suntec City, Singapore
2010 Archana Gallery, Malaysia
2009 Gallerie Fort Zuid, The Netherlands
2009 Point of View Art Gallery, Mumbai
2008 Vinnyasa Premier Art Galery, Chennai
2007 Point of View Art Gallery, Mumbai
2007 Academy of Fine Arts, New Delhi
2006 Lakshana Art Gallery, Bangalore
2006 Lakshana Art Gallery, Hyderabad
2005 Little Italy, Chennai
2004 Taj Fisherman's Cove, Chennai
2004 Vinnyasa Art Premier Galery, Chennai
1999 Chola Sheraton, Chennai
Selected Group Shows
2016 Annual New England Gala 2016, Boston, USA
2014 8th Annual New England Gala, Boston, USA
2014 18th Annual Boston International Fine Art Show
2014 Ninth Annual Chicago Gala, Chicago
2013 New England AIF Gala, Boston, USA
2013 Asian Art Gallery, Boston, USA
2010 'Art Aids Show' The Sheraton, Chennai
2010 'Southern Scape', Singapore
2010 Shrishti Art Gallery, Hyderabad
2009 Apparao Art Gallery, Chennai
2008 Point of View Art Gallery, Mumbai
2008 Athreyaa Art Gallery, Chennai
2008 Apparao Art Gallery, Chennai
2007 Prakrit Arts, Mumbai
2007 Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath, Bangalore
2007 Vinnyasa Art Premier Galery, Chennai
2006 Musuem Gallery, Mumbai
1994 Ovia Nun Kalai Kuzhu, Chennai
1992 Ovia Nun Kalai Kuzhu, Chennai
1991 Trinity Group Show, Trichy
1987 Group Show, Vellore