Roy Thomas with his artwork Deep Water Fishes at Durbar Hall Art Gallery | Photo courtesy: Tulsi Kakkar

Artist Roy Thomas’ exhibition Deep Within seems perfectly timed. Kochi has just witnessed a week of continuous rain following a cloudburst and the country is going through the throes of political realignment. The large paintings depicting historical monuments, statues and famous artefacts submerged in the sea present a dramatic view of climate change. “Showcasing art works in a highly conscious state like Kerala makes the audience look at these works politically as well,” says the Delhi-based artist.

The painting titled Serene Gaze shows Mahatma Gandhi’s statue immersed in meditation. It is being compared to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the Vivekananda Rock Memorial and meditation. “It is an old painting, but for the viewers it relates to the current political scenario,” says Roy.

This series of 25 oil paintings depicts a common theme. Roy has reimagined classic sculptures from the Renaissance to modern times through the lens of climate change. Michelangelo’s La Pieta and Moses, Rodin’s The Thinker, the Statue of Liberty and India’s iconic Ashoka Pillar appear submerged in the ocean.

Artist Roy Thomas’ show Deep Within at Durbar Hall Art Gallery | Photo credit: Tulsi Kakkar

He has been working on this series for the last four and a half years and it will be showcased in Delhi in November 2023. The series began with an article that discussed the horrifying idea of ​​the Statue of Liberty sinking, given the rate at which New York City is sinking every year. He says, “This idea planted a seed in my mind and I started working on this series.”

The series was also an exploration of the unknown. “It was only when I started working on the paintings that I realised that painting an underwater scene was more challenging than I thought,” says Roy. Each painting has a different blue hue, ranging from greenish-blue to teal, depending on the role of light in each frame. “I also explored my childhood memories of diving in ponds and rivers. At the end of the day, my focus as an artist is to make a good painting,” he says.

Roy says the paintings are quite straightforward, “one would never think about what the painting means.” Living in a world on the brink of a global climate crisis, Roy’s works force one to consider the relevance of historical monuments, sculptures and objects and whether humans can recreate them.

Working as an artist for over three decades, Roy says he is driven by a sense of curiosity rather than creating his own style. Roy specialises in oil painting, which he believes suits his temperament – ​​“It’s slow and gives you the opportunity to start afresh each time,” he says, while the nature of acrylic demands quick decisions. “I like to reflect on my work, going back and forth, correcting and adjusting the painting until it’s exactly what I want it to be.”

Roy, a native of Pala, has been teaching and practising art in Delhi for the past 34 years. He has held several solo shows and participated in numerous exhibitions in various cities in India and around the world.

deep The closing ceremony will be held on 7 June at Darbar Hall Art Gallery.