The textures on the faces and the depressions on the surreal landscapes depicted on miniature and square rectangle pieces of paper tell one that there is more than just human hand at work there.

Shining through these prints are the ages of the trees and the unpredictability of acids, which decides the final form of the work.

In the age of instagram when we are carpet-bombed with a million photographs on a daily basis, these prints which are made with the effort of more than the day harks back to a period when time literally stood still.

When the annual degree show of the College of Fine Arts opens on Thursday on the campus, one of the novelties will be the printmaking section, which will showcase the talent of the students in etching, lithography, and wood cutting.

This is probably the first time that an exhibition of such prints will be held in the city.

“The advantage of prints compared to the normal paintings is the subtle gradation of tones achieved in this. The printmaking itself is an intimate process which begins with tapping out the wood, applying the acid, and transferring it into paper. Though multiple impressions can be taken of the same work, each turns out unique,” says Melbin Thomas, a final year student.

In addition, there will be a display of the vintage printmaking machines.

The degree show is the culmination of four years of work put in by the students and is a platform for them to display their best works.

“The degree show is a kind of bridge for us to the general public, who are not very familiar with what is happening here. It is a way of letting them know what these students have become in these four years,” says M. Lekha, college Principal.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Thiruvananthapuram / by S. R. Praveen / Thiruvananthapuram – June 05th, 2014