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Gnani Arts Pte Ltd is supported locally and globally, by serious art collectors, professional art dealers, interior designers, art historians, researchers, and appreciators of contemporary Indian art and the visual arts in general.

In the Tamil language, the word 'Gnani' (pronounced as 'Niyani') refers to one who is enlightened, spiritually or intellectually.

Founded in early 2003, The Gallery of Gnani Arts has been a local and regional trend-setter within its area of research and collection expertise - South Indian contemporary art by masters and international artists. The curated collection includes charismatic sculptures (granite, bronze, copper), elucidating paintings, lithographs and thematic drawings.

Clients of The Gallery of Gnani Arts include the President of the Republic of Singapore (Honourable President Mr S.R. Nathan) and the Singapore Art Museum of the National Heritage Board (Singapore). The Gallery of Gnani Arts is indeed a familiar name amongst the expatriate, professional and tourist communities in Singapore and the region.

The Gallery of Gnani Arts has now opened its 2nd wing (2nd gallery) at The Regent Singapore! The address:-

The Gallery of Gnani Arts (2nd Wing)
#01-05, The Regent Singapore
One Cuscaden Road, Singapore 249715

Abstract Painting

Figurative Painting

Sculpture

Ganesha

Art Education:

Each art course, art lecture or art workshop is carefully planned before it is endorsed by The Gallery of Gnani Arts.

The Gallery conducts and facilitates art courses and workshops for children and adults (eg. Basic Drawing, Wooden Block Fabric Printing, Watercolours, Acrylic Painting, Oil Painting, etc.).

Apart from sessions in our premises, the courses and workshops travel to different venues to suit art enthusiasts individually and in groups. In addition to acquiring knowledge of techniques and nuances in art, guest lectures by visiting artists, art researchers, curators, connoisseurs and collectors, create a wholesome feel to the courses/workshops presented by the Gallery.

Article in "Singapore Art Gallery Guide", April, 2007

	Holy Cow! Aesthetic Awakening 10 by Vidhya Gnana Gouresan My most intimate encounter with the cow was during my visit to Madhavaran milk colony in Chennai (South India), about ten years ago. Having had lived in Singapore all my life (where the closest I got to a cow was either in the zoo or during my primary school excursion to Vishnu Milk Farm!), I was simply stunned by the in dependence that the cow demand in India. Watching a cow stroll at the sides of busy roads in the city, along with people, was indeed an out-of the world experience for me. And the most amusing scene was when the vehicles on the road had to stop and wait while a cow took its won sweet time to cross over to the opposite side of the road. To me that was sign of “Cow Power” Leaving the contemporary cow aside, it is not surprising that research on the tender herbivore has proven its undeniable significance in world mythology and symbolism. Would you have imagined that there is indeed a cow Goddess in Egyptian mythology? Her name is Hathor, and she is the daughter of Nut (Mother of the Moon, Sun and the heavenly bodies) and Re (the son God of Heliopolis). Hathor is also known as the Goddess of Love, Dance and intoxication. She is often portrayed as either a cow or personified with a crown that consists of sun disk that is secured between the horns of a cow. Hathor is also a symbol of maternity, in connection with the cow’s primordial affiliation towards fertility and nourishment.  Today a statue of Hathor stands as a prominent exhibit in luxor Museum of Egypt (ancient Thebes) Coming back to India, Mythology speaks of Kamadhenu, a divine cow who is able to grant wishes and provide anything that making needs. Depicted as half female and half cow, she is believed to have emerged from Samudramanthan (the churning of the mythological ocean). In short, she is hailed as the mother of all cows! Even in contemporary folk-inspired art in India, Kamadhenu is very often a subject that continues to intrigue art collectors with it’s unique from and timeless symbolism. At this point, I would like to take the chance to reveal a thought – provoking quote by Mahatma Gandhi, on the cow – “She is the second mother to millions of mankind. Protection of the cow means protection of the whole dumb creation of God. The appeal of the lower order of creation is all the more forceful because it is speechless.” Forceful yet speechless – this description beautifully seta the tone for the quiet might in the very nature of the holy cow.                 Eternal Companion - 02, by P. Gnana oil on canvas, 120 x 150 cm, 2007                     Eternal Companion - 03, by P. Gnana oil on canvas, 120 x 150 cm, 2007                     Eternal Companion - 04, by P. Gnana oil on canvas, 147 x 151 cm, 2007
	Vidhya Gnana Gouresan curates contemporary art exhibition, and has been researching for museum in Singapore Since 2000. Her research interests revolve around Asian aesthetic, abstract art appreciation, art marketing, the temple art of the Chola Dynasty, the rasa theory in Indian aesthetics and museum studies. She can be reached at vidhya@gnaniarts.com             Kamadhenu - 01, by V. Santhanam, acrylic on canvas, 70 x 70 cm, 2006

Article in "Singapore Art Gallery Guide", Dec, 2006

	Maya, an illusive truth Aesthetic awaking 7 by Vidhya Gnana Gouresan There are times when I find myself in a State of uncontrollable anger that usually leads to emotional hysteria. I have struggled very hard in my search for a down-to-earth, yet authoritative, personal philosophy that will act as a “medicine” to control my frequent encounters with my very own influx of emotions. I have found this “medicine” in the notion of Maya. As an aspect of Hindu philosophy, Maya is very simply referred to as ‘illusion’. In other words, what one sees, thinks, feels, hears and tastes are a “lesser reality” and not the absolute truth. Maya is dream that we believe is reality; a state where one’s existence is nothing but a mask that conceals the ‘truth’. In such a state, what is the point of feeling angry, afraid, sad, happy, and disappointed or all the other emotions one can summon? “So what has maya got to do with art and the creative process?” You may ask. In my opinion, art is indeed the ultimate form of maya, in which the illusive reality is daringly given a coat of an even stronger dream. By reinterpreting reality, discovering inspiration, feeling for subject matter and making a choice of medium and colors, an artist is unknowingly redefining maya . In every era in art history, it is maya that has been reinvented and made contemporary. Therefore, maya is not only a philosophy, it is also the force that enables the social evolution in a fluid reality that is both within and not within one’s control. Maya rules as an entity that entangles dreams, illusions, reality and inevitability. There will be no escape from maya, until of course, enlightenment occurs. This brings us to another issue. What is enlightenment? Here is an analogy. An artist puts his/her untouched canvas on the easel waiting for the moment of spontaneous inspiration. When the moment of inspiration strikes without warning, the artist wastes no time in immersing him/herself in the amazing process of creation. I believe during this enigmatic and intense creative process, maya takes a break to reveal a ‘truth’ That is specific to the creator only.         Noise of Silence 8 by P. Gnana 76 x 76 cm, 2006, oil on canvas                     Noise of Silence 11 by P. Gnana 76 x 76 cm, 2006, oil on canvas                     Noise of Silence 6 by P. Gnana 76 x 76 cm, 2006, oil on canvas
	Vidhya Gnana Gouresan curates contemporary art exhibition, and has been researching for museum in Singapore Since 2000. Her research interests revolve around Asian aesthetic, abstract art appreciation, art marketing, the temple art of the Chola Dynasty, the rasa theory in Indian aesthetics and museum studies. She can be reached at vidhya@gnaniarts.com   Nature - 12 by A. Viswam oil on canvas, 59 x 59 cm, 2005                 Nature - 8 by A. Viswam oil on canvas, 85 x 85 cm, 2005

Our Artists:

Adimoolam

Born in 1938, K.M. Adimoolam is well-known for his splendid figure-drawings and expressive abstractions. He holds a Diploma in Advanced Painting and Design from the Government College of Arts and Crafts, Chennai. He has exhibited his works on an international level (the National Gallery of Art in New Delhi and the 19th Sao Paulo Biennale Art Exhibition in Brazil).

Adimoolam won the National Award in 1973.

Anthony Doss

Born in 1933, Anthony Doss is indeed a master in figure representation that is rooted in realism. In 1956, he completed his Diploma in Advanced Painting and Design from the Government College of Arts & Crafts, Chennai. At the age of 73, Anthony maintains great intensity and enthusiasm in practicing his art by adhering to a daily diet of painting.

He has participated in international exhibitions, including the Sao Paulo International Art Exhibition (Brazil) and the Paris Biennale International Art Exhibition in 1961. In 1958, he was awarded the South India Society of Painters Governor's Gold Plaque. Since 1989-1990, Anthony has been holding on to the honourable title of ‘Kalai Chemmal’, bestowed by the Tamil Nadu Lalit Kala Akademi.

Anthony won the National Award in 1961.

Elanchezhiyan,P.

Born in 1980, P. Elanchezhiyan went on to graduate with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Government College of Fine Arts in Kumbakonam, and the Bharathidasan University, Trichy (Tamil Nadu, South India). He has received several awards since 2002, including the HK. Kejirwal Award in 2006.

Elanchezhiyan, in his depiction of Kalaripayattu, communicates a unique juxtaposition of hard, cold bronze with the soft, graceful flow of his subjects. Kalaripayattu, is a Dravidian martial art practised in Kerala and some sections of Tamil Nadu. Apart from techniques that heal, this martial art is a combination of martial dance, kicks, strikes, wrestling and weaponry.

While Elanchezhiyan is based in Chennai, his works are collected in UK, USA and France in addition to India.

Gopinath,P

P.Gopinath was born in Ponani, Kerala. Since 1966, the 58 year-old has been a Cholamandal Artist, whose 2-dimensional artworks have traveled to France, Poland, Chile, Morocco and Holland. He is also an Alumni of the Government College of Arts and Crafts in Chennai. The works in his Biomorphic Forms series are internationally- acclaimed.
 

Gopinath was an invited artist for the Indiase Moderne Kunst, Kasteel at Arcen, Holland (1989), the 8th International Biennial of Art at Valparaiso, Chile (1987), 22nd International Festival of Painting at Cagnes-Sur-Mer, France (1990), and the "Art for Heart's Sake" Sotheby's Auction (1995). He was also a representative for India, as the Commissioner for the International Painting Festival at Cagnes-Sur-Mer, France (1990). In 1988, he was elected as an Eminent Artist by Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi.
 

Gopinath has won State Awards of Tamil Nadu (1980) and of Kerala.

Manickam,P

P.Manickam won the Indian National Award in 1997.

Born in 1942, Manickam was trained in the fine arts at the Government College of Arts & Crafts in Chennai. He has received the Kalai Maamani Award (2004), the Camlin Regional Award (2004), and the Best Artist Award by the Pondicherry State Artists Society.He had also served as a General Council Member for the Lalit Kala Akademi in New Delhi.

Manickam has been an enthusiastic participant in many group exhibitions within India, in venues such as Hyderabad, Pondicherry, Cochin, Chennai, New Delhi, Kodaikanal, Mysore, Manipal and Bijapur. This master's artworks are being collected in France, and are also in the collections of the Madras Museum (Tamil Nadu) and the Pondicherry Museum.

Mookiah,T.R.P

Born in 1934, T.R.P. Mookiah received a Cultural Scholarship (1959) and a Junior Fellowship from the Government of India. He completed his Diploma in Painting (1956) and his Diploma in Modeling (1959) from the Government College of Arts and Crafts, Chennai. After serving as a designer in the Department of Ceramics in the same college, Mookiah became the Associate Lecturer and the Head of the college’s Department of Textiles.

Mookiah has held the position of Vice-President at the Association of Young Painters and Sculptors. He was also a member of the Executive Board of the South India Society of Painters in Chennai. The honourable title of ‘Kalai Chemmal’, was bestowed on him by the Tamil Nadu Lalit Kala Akademi.

Mookiah won the National Award in 1995, for sculpture.

Alphonso Doss

Born in Bangalore (South India) in 1939, Dr Alphonso Doss holds a Cultural Doctorate in Art Education from World University, Arizona. Known to be a seasoned traveler, he is also an Executive Member of the Asian Christian Art Association (Japan) and an active member of the International Society for Education Through Art (USA). Dr Doss won the National Award in 1988.

Dr Doss is a former Principal of the Government College of Arts and Crafts in Chennai (1992 – 1997). He was instrumental in the conceptualisation and establishment of the Museum of Contemporary Art (of the Madras School of Art) in 1997. In his academic pursuits, Dr Doss has been very fascinated by the history and development of symbols. For his doctoral thesis, he had researched to prove that the concept of the Nataraja (Lord of Dance and the Cosmic Order) has derived from the symbolism of the swastika. His Nataraj Series (of oil-on-canvas paintings) is a creative version of his research findings.

Dr Doss has held solo exhibitions in Holland (1980, 1982), at the Doshisha University in Japan (1983), at the Treasure Room Gallery in New York (1985), at the BF Larsen Gallery in the USA, at the Ricks College in Idaho, the USA (1986) and at the Brigham Young University in the USA (1998). He was honoured with the International Cultural Centre Award (New Delhi) in 1968. Dr Doss lives and creates in Chennai, as an internationally-acclaimed senior artist of South India.

Dakshinamoorthy,C

Born in 1943, C. Dakshinamoorthy is appreciated internationally, for his captivating granite sculptures and his individualistic style of painting. Trained in the Government College of Arts and Crafts, Chennai (1960-1966), he was formerly the Head of the Department of Ceramics in the same college. As a British Council Scholar in 1978, he was trained in Advanced Print-Making at the Croydon College of Design and Technology. From 1989 to 1991, he was awarded a Senior Fellowship by the Department of Culture, Government of India.

Dakshinamoorthy has participated in group and solo exhibitions at the Morley Gallery in London (1978), at Buenos Aires in Argentina (1979), in Croydon, the United Kingdom (1978), in Australia (1973). His works were a part of the 9th International Triennale of Coloured Graphic Prints in Switzerland (1982), and the 7th International Small Sculpture Exhibition of Budapest, Hungary (1987).

Dakshinamoorthy won the National Award in 1985.

Gnana,P

When it is a painting by P. Gnana, the emotion arrests your heart before the concept reaches your mind. It is significant to note that a painting from his current and celebrated Eternal Companion series was acquired by the President of the Republic of Singapore (Hon. President Mr S. R. Nathan). Another painting by this eminent artist, from the same series, has been acquired by the Singapore Art Museum (National Heritage Board).

Born and brought up in Neyveli (Tamil Nadu), Gnana is a distinguished Singapore-based international artist whose works are collected in Latin America, Europe, South Asia and Southeast Asia. Gnana is also a recipient of the LASALLE Scholarship of the LASALLE College of the Arts (Singapore), from where he received his formal training in the art of painting.

Having been a professionally-trained mechanical engineer before receiving his formal training in painting, an enormous sense of perseverance and an undaunted desire to ‘search’ via art, are what truly made P. Gnana the significant creator he is today. In the early days of his career as an artist (about thirteen years ago), Gnana was almost entirely drawn towards figurative rendition that was enhanced by his undeniable strength in creating colours that were appetising to the art-hungry. Then, there came a phase whereby he decided to discard figurative expression as he realised a spiritual challenge in pursuing abstraction in his artworks. “Can I express what I want to, without figures?” was the question that lured him to the unfathomable world of abstract expressionism. This was a monumental phase that fetched Gnana an absolute sense of freedom as an artist - art for the artist’s sake.

However, every process reaches a saturation point. Gnana’s obsessive affair with pure abstraction provided him with an important, lucid insight into nothing else but himself. Having had daringly submerged his spirit into two imperative opposite modes of expression - figurative and pure abstraction - Gnana started to look towards another challenge, with a thirst for another exciting change. And this time, he found the challenge in a very down-to-earth thematic concept - the psyche of the human being who dotes on his receptive animal.

The cow has always been one of Gnana’s favourite animals. When Gnana was a little boy, his parents used to own and breed cows in their home in Neyveli. This childhood affiliation towards the cow is being beautifully rekindled through his much-appreciated current body of artworks: the heart-wrenching Eternal Companion series of paintings (oil on canvas).

Every painting in the Eternal Companion series touches upon a universal feeling of love that is accentuated by the comforting fact that no one person or animal is alone in love. The notion of emotional ecstasy and the enjoyable taste of being cherished are pictorially portrayed in a stylised, semi-figurative mode. Very often in this series, the moon is symbolically cast in the role of an undistracting cupid. The caressing and cajoling of the characters in the series affirm that, when it comes to portraying the true essence of love and affection, no word in the dictionary is as apt as a painting. To sum up his inspiration for the series, Gnana himself says, “Afterall, everybody needs a shoulder to lean on.” We cannot help but agree with him. – Vidhya Gnana Gouresan (Art Curator).

Kumar,S

1980 Born in Chennai

Education: 1995 - 1999 B.F.A. (Final Year Painting)
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Collection: Many private collection in India

Award: 1998 - Craft Mela - Chennai

Show: 1997 - Group show in Kumbakonam

Manoharan,N

Born in 1957, N.Manoharan completed his Master of Fine Arts at The Goverment College of Arts & Crafts in Chennai.He is a recipient of the State Level Student Award (presented by the Lalit Kala Akademi in chennai).

Collectors of Manoharan's artworks include the Modern Art Gallery (New Delhi),the Chennai Airport Authority, the Indian Overseas Bank (Chennai), Hotel Royal Park in Thiruvavur, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Art Society, and many private art appreciators in the U.S.A.

Manoharan is currently a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Painting at the Goverment College of Fine Arts, Chennai

Pakkeri

The late Pakkeri was and is still respected nationally and internationally, for his intense involvement in depicting life and mythology through his strength in lines.

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