Mahalakshmi Kannappan

(b. 1981, India)

Mahalakshmi Kannappan unearths the internalized complexities of existence in her investigations of materiality, rejecting traditional notions of medium. While her work has become known for her unorthodox applications of charcoal, her practice delves deeper into the construction of obscure forms with a diverse array of materials that push the boundaries of the second and third dimensions.

Works that teeter between the pictorial and the sculptural, she seemingly resurrects the materials she manipulates in unexpected yet stunning ways. Drawing on the Earth, nature, and the world around us, her practice becomes one of forcing materials to transcend beyond their natural states. The thrill of encountering these spontaneous and unpredictable reactions to her mediums becomes a limitless well of inspiration. Here, she develops her own minimalist visual language through abstract imagery. Colour and texture, reveal nuanced palettes, dynamic plays of light, and a celebration of forms. As her art takes on new forms, they challenge us to venture into new conceptual frontiers. The forms, the objects, and the medium are more than tools of composition, but the subject of the works.

Mahalakshmi completed her Diploma in Fine Art at Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts. Her works were featured in her first solo exhibition at Gajah Gallery 2020, Singapore. She exhibited in SEA Focus 2020 and has also participated in various group shows in Singapore, Indonesia and Philippines. Her works were also selected to be part of the 3rd Jogja International Miniprint Biennale (JIMB) held in YOGYAKARTA.