#madrasseries

[hemusartblog]

POSTCARD LOVE! Buy my art postcards. :) 

My dear people, I believe you’re aware of the series of sketches I have been doing as a part of The Madras Catalogue or the newly launched India Series. I'm doing the first run of postcards from both the series and it’s now open to be sold!  When was the last time you sent your loved ones a postcard? I personally believe that sending a postcard reinforces the thought and memory of another. That in addition to the written word, an inkling for physical reminders like letters and postcards and art, I thought I'd release the first run of these postcards that I have illustrated as a part of the‪ #‎MadrasSeries‬ and the ‪#‎IndiaSeries‬.If you're interested in purchasing these cards, drop me a mail at [email protected] or send me a message here on FB or enter your email ID in the comment box and I'll get back to you with the details.Since it's the first run, I have only four sets of each of the series (Set of 12 from The Madras Catalogue and Set of 8 from The India Series) and I'd probably print the next set based on the orders that come in and so, for now I will be selling these on first come, first served basis. Attached along-with are the postcard pictures. Do take a look. Comments, feedback about the art or anything else are welcome! Keep me posted, you guys! ;) 

[hemusartblog]

Cuddon Building (Gove Building) | Mount Road | Madras Series | Live Sketching 

Pen and Ink and watercolours on Moleskine Large Sketchbook 

 The Gove Building ( née Cuddon Building) was built in the year 1916 under the plans of Mr.George Underhill Cuddon who had joined the company Messrs. Simpsons and Co in 1891, as an assistant, later on raising in ranks until he was the sole proprietor of the showroom. This was the time when motor vehicles was being available and affordable for the rich here in India and thus, it made perfect sense to open it on the main thoroughfare of the city of Madras: Mount Road.  According to the book, “Southern India: Its History, People, Commerce and Industrial Resources” by Arnold Wright, it is said that this car showroom is one of the finest ones ever built, ornate in character. ‘It is a double-storeyed building of green and white stone quarried near Madras, and has a frontage of 90 ft upon the main road. Plate glass windows 18 ft in length, a special kind of door, shutters and sun-blinds have been imported from England. The floor is laid in Italian marble, and the inside pillars are of very chaste designs.’ [sic]

The granite doesn’t appear green and white and exudes a grey shade now. The architecture is of Indo-Saracenic style, particularly seems like Victorian Indo Revival. The red brick work captures one’s eye and is one of the many beautiful buildings down this road. 

It was known by the name Cuddon Building until 1943, when  Thiruvengadasamy Mudaliar obtained it for his automobile dealership, VST Motors. It is currently known as the Gove Building. It is now 99 years old, just a year away from hitting a century! :)  

This experience was especially enriching for me. I was on the Mount Road sketching the Gove Building when I noticed a young man looking at me. When our eyes met, he approached me and asked me: 'Hemu's art blog?'It was an extremely pleasant surprise. He went on to say that he follows my artwork and that he likes them. I guess that has me borderline elated. That someone recognized me from my art and cared enough to interact with me for sometime before boarding their auto and going away. Gives one an identity, doesn't it? :)

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[hemusartblog]

Woodlands-Symphony Theatre | West Cott Road | Madras Series | Live Sketching

Quick sketch using Pen and Ink and Sketchpens on Moleskine Large Sketchbook 

Woodlands was the city residence of the Rajah of Ramnad before he moved to Cenotaph Road. Woodlands was purchased by Muni Venkatappa, a building contractor, in 1937, for a hotel business who rented the place out to K.Krishna Rao. He leased the Royapettah property and established the eponymous Woodlands Hotel here, the first of what is now an immensely popular worldwide chain. Later, an air-conditioned open-air theatre was constructed in the same gardens by the name Woodlands - Symphony. Till the mid-1970s, Woodlands continued to remain one of the well-known hotels of the city. It then went into a decline.The property itself now houses a hotel and the theatre under different managements and both share its name.

Woodland-Symphony theatre is one of the older theatres in the city exhibiting a postcolonial style, a mix of modern styles. It has two movie screens. It plays host to a number of film festivals and recently housed an exhibition of photographs of pictures of various cinema theatres of South India called ‘Hybrid Modernism’. 

(P.S: I couldn’t quite get proper information on the history of this theatre and the given information is what I found off multiple sources of internet and hearsay from a gen-earlier. If there are any discrepancies or if you have some information to add to this, please feel free to let me know, I shall correct it. For, at the end of the day, what’s most important is that we understand the significance of what we possess.Cheers!) 

[hemusartblog]

Valluvar Kottam | Madras Series | Live Sketching 

Pen and Ink and Sketchpens on Moleskine Large Sketchbook 

The Valluvar Kottam is an important landmark and monument that was constructed in the year 1976 to honour the esteemed classical poet and saint Thiruvalluvar who composed the Thirukkural more than 2000 years ago. The architect of this monument is V.Ganapathi Stapathi and it was built under the auspices of M.Karunanidhi, the then Chief Minister of the state of Tamilnadu. 

The historical icon is located at the deepest point of an erstwhile lake that existed in the area, which was later used as a dumpyard before the place was reformed for the Valluvar Kottam. 

The architectural pattern of the Valluvar Kottam is like a temple chariot (Tiruvarur) (39 m high), inside which there is a huge stone effigy of the saint Thiruvalluvar. Two stone elephants, each 7′ high are in the front as if they are pulling the chariot. It’s flanked two large and two small wheels on its either side. The main auditorium of the Valluvar Kottam can provide accommodation to more than 4,000 people at a time. A very unique feature of the Valluvar Kottam is that it stands baseless, without the support of any pillar. The 1330 verses of the epic Thirukkural are engraved on the granite columns in the facade hall corridors, enclosing the vast auditorium of the Valluvar Kottam. In the construction of this, about 3000 blocks of stone were used. 

Madras is a place that places utmost importance in the regional, linguistic and cultural heritage of itself. Thirukkural and Thiruvalluvar play a significant role in the lives of Tamil people and this is one of the best ways to remember and honour him. Every year, large number of visitors from all around the world visit the place and exhibitions/expos are a common scene here. 

If you are from Madras and you haven’t seen this place, hop onto an auto and head to Nungambakkam immediately. :)