Wikipedia

Sreeraj Gopinathan

Sreeraj Gopinathan (born 20 May 1969 in Kollam, India) is a German contemporary artist of Indian descent. His work is characterized by its interdisciplinarity and dominated in particular by projects based on environmental and climate-relevant concepts.

Sreeraj Gopinathan, 2016 Berlin

Life and work

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The experiences of childhood in a traditional healer family and in the nature rich environment of the coastal region of Kerala were decisive for Gopinathan's development.

For the first artistic experiments he used natural materials and paper, which he combined with cooked rice as an adhesive in order to make plastic forms.

Often he drew or painted portraits of acquaintances from the neighbourhood but also of famous personalities. He preferred to choose older people, whose facial features reflected their past life. Another interest in his youth was the discovery of the diversity of flavours and the use of spices in the cuisine of South India.

From 1987 to 1992 he studied painting at the Raja Ravi Varma College of Fine Arts in Mavelikkara. The few resources at his disposal limited his beginnings to drawing and painting in which he liked to capture human faces and natural structures. By combining the two, he developed his own style. In 1989 and 1993, he participated in the annual exhibition of the Kerala Lalithakala Akademi, a cultural organization of the government of Kerala and won the Annual State Award for Painting in 1993.

The enthusiasm for the humanistic and nature-bound life's work of the Indian poet and philosopher Rabindranath Tagore led Gopinathan to Santiniketan. From 1993 to 1996 he studied painting at the Visva-Bharati University under the painter Suhas Roy and parallel the French language under the writer Saraju Gita Banerjee. In 1993, he was awarded the scholarship of Visva-Bharati University and in 1995 the National Scholarship of the Ministry of Human Resource Development, government of India.

In 1996, Gopinathan received the Bourse du Gouvernement Français. With the residence scholarship, he studied fine arts at the École supérieure of the beaux-arts du Mans in France. Benefiting from the new techniques, he began experimenting with new components such as photography, light art, and installation. This resulted in a series of three-dimensional light-integrated objects.

In 1998, he moved to the south German city of Coburg. Making use of the experience gained during the employment at Landestheater Coburg he added a new segment − performance − to his compositions of light, darkness and space. Gopinathan integrated a time-bound action of the audience into the perception process. The first presentation of those contemplation rooms took place in 2000 in the Hanseatic city of Lemgo. In the following years he exhibited more works from this series in Ebern (2002), Bedheim (2002), Bad Königshofen in Grabfeld (2002) and Munich (2003).

Perception

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Despite the different facets of his development, there exists a cohesion like a recurring theme throughout Gopinathan's creative process from the beginning − a universal attitude, the view of a large whole, of an intangible mystery, which seems to escape any attempt at rapprochement.

His passionate attachment to nature soon led to a confrontation with the impact of human life on the planet, which flowed seamlessly into his work. It increasingly developed into a practically implemented form of life, in which existence and art no longer form separate aspects, but merge into each other without a dividing line.

Sreeraj Gopinathan deems it as a necessity to assign an existential purpose to his projects and therefore connects them to the mainstream of life. Art should serve here as a tool to stimulate a change of attitude towards a more conscious way of thinking and acting.

Projects

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Earth architecture on the project OWIYAM terrain, 2011

In order to devote himself to detailed research, Gopinathan retired in 2004 from public appearances largely back. From his studies, two solution-oriented projects emerged, focusing on the relationship between nature and human in the context of the drastic changes on earth. To achieve this he combined various disciplines such as art, science, philosophy and ecology. Both projects allow an active participation of the audience in the artistic process. Sreeraj Gopinathan deems it as a necessity to assign an existential purpose to his projects and therefore connects them to the mainstream of life. Art should serve here as a tool to stimulate a change of attitude towards a more conscious way of thinking and acting.

 
Project area, Kantalloor (Westghats), 2008
 
Rare species in the highlands of South India, 2019
 
Nature pond – a decisive part of symbiosis

Project OWIYAM

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In 2005, Gopinathan launched his first large-scale project OWIYAM in Kanthalloor, a remote location in the mountainous region of South India known as Western Ghats. The surrounding forest is characterized by a unique flora and fauna, but increasingly threatened by human influences. The project is dedicated to the construction of a timely Noah's Ark − a model space, a refuge for rare animals and plants, in which nature and human form a harmonious coexistence. The ultimate aim is to preserve biodiversity in a protected area. The involvement of the local population is presupposed by the underlying concept. Ultimately, the project contributes to the conservation of the rainforest, the lung of the planet. Practical trainings offered on topics such as reforestation, permaculture, clay-architecture, climate-friendly nutrition and cooking method as well as CO2-neutral energy production are a crucial parts of the project.

 
Climate-friendly cooking concept published in internet, project SAMASYA, 2016
 
In 2018, around 1000 inhabitants of the forest village Thirthamala were presented with a vegan feast—12 energy-efficient, environmentally and climate-friendly dishes created by Sreeraj Gopinathan with 100% vegetable ingredients.

Project SAMASYA

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The fragility of environment and climate forms the nucleus of Gopinathan's second project titled SAMASYA, which began in 2016. With this project he addresses the industrial societies, the hub of a world in transition. Based on his perspective that the aspect food plays a key role in the unity of the entire web of life, he designed an energy reducing and resource saving, vegan nutritional concept. In order to achieve an ample social participation for the implementation of the project, he uses a mixture of methods such as Internet publication, performance, light installation and culinary art, which are assembled on the same stage. The project is centered around addressing fundamental human needs and aims to raise awareness within society, fostering a shift in collective consciousness. Its primary goal is to actively contribute to the preservation of Earth's ecosystem.

Since 2005 Sreeraj Gopinathan lives and works in Berlin and in Kanthalloor, South India.

Awards

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Solo exhibitions

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  • 1995 The Waiting – Drawings and Mixedmedia 1994–1995, Kala-Bhavana, Visva-Bharati University, Santiniketan, India
  • 1998 Sreeraj Gopinathan – Zeichnungen, Gemälde und Fotoarbeiten 1995–1997, Annette Falk Keramik, Hofheim in Unterfranken, Bavaria
  • 2002 Bilder, Objekte und Installationen von Sreeraj Gopinathan,[10] Schloss Bedheim, Thuringia, sponsored by Thüringer Ministerium für Bildung, Jugend und Sport[11]
  • 2003 Sreeraj Gopinathan – Über dem Horizont, Lichtintegrierte Objekte, Bilder, Zeichnungen,[12][13] Galerie des Lehr- und Forschungsinstitutes DAP e.V.,[14] Munich, Bavaria, sponsored by the City of Coburg and by the art association TARA art e.V.[15]

Group exhibitions (selection)

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Publications

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Books

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  • Sreeraj Gopinathan – Über dem Horizont[26][27][28][29][30] , Lichtintegrierte Objekte, Bilder, Zeichnungen und Texte 1994–2002, picture book, Coburg 2003, German language, publisher: TARA art e.V.[31] art association, ISBN 3-00-012899-9
  • Sreeraj Gopinathan – SAMASYA – Irdisch und kosmisch zugleich,[32][33] picture book, Berlin 2014, German language publisher: TARA art e.V. art association

Internet publications

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  • Indisch kulinarisch – umweltschonend, klimafreundlich, vegan[34] – Eine gesunde und nachhaltige Interpretation der indischen Kochkunst, Project SAMASYA, Part I – Resensitization, Berlin 2016, German language, publisher: Sreeraj Gopinathan

Magazines

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  • L'ami (Poem and ink drawing),[35] French language, Kolkatta 2014, im Magazin Le cri de la mouche, Publisher: Alliance Française du Bengale,[36] India
  • Ma grand-mère (Poem and ink drawing),[37] French language, Kolkatta 2014, im Magazin Le cri de la mouche, Publisher: Alliance Française du Bengale, India

Video documentation

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  • Interdisziplinäres Projekt SAMASYA Teil I – Resensitization,[38] Einführung von Holger Christian Stockinger,[39] German language, publisher: Sreeraj Gopinathan 2016

Literature

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  • Margit Hess: Erlebnisräume als Sprungbrett für das Bewusstsein[40] - zum zweiten Teil des Projekts SAMASYA – Elementary. In: Website Project SAMASYA
  • Holger Christian Stockinger: Die Stille und das Dunkel.[41] In: Website Sreeraj Gopinathan
  • Margit Hess: Odyssee zur Wiege des Lebens.[42] In: Website Project OWIYAM
  • Nobert Kastner: Grußwort.[43] In: Sreeraj Gopinathan – Über dem Horizont: Lichtintegrierte Objekte, Bilder, Zeichnungen und Texte 1994–2002, publisher: TARA art e.V. art association, ISBN 3-00-012899-9.
  • Margit Hess: Im Zwielicht.[44] In: Sreeraj Gopinathan – SAMASYA – Irdisch und kosmisch zugleich, publisher: TARA art e.V. art association
  • Holger Christian Stockinger: Prolog.[45] In: Sreeraj Gopinathan – SAMASYA – Irdisch und kosmisch zugleich, publisher: TARA art e.V. Kunstförderverein
  • James Sebastian: Zwischen Fülle und Leere.[46] In: Sreeraj Gopinathan – SAMASYA – Irdisch und kosmisch zugleich, publisher: TARA art e.V.
  • Holger Christian Stockinger: Resensibilisierung – Im Universum der Sinne[47] - zum ersten Teil des Projekts SAMASYA – Resensitization. In: Website Project SAMASYA
  • Gregor Bendel: Von der Linie zum Licht.[48] In: Sreeraj Gopinathan – Über dem Horizont: Lichtintegrierte Objekte, Bilder, Zeichnungen und Texte 1994–2002, publisher: TARA art e.V. art association, ISBN 3-00-012899-9.
  • Margit Hess: Suche nach dem Ungreifbaren.[49] In: Sreeraj Gopinathan – Über dem Horizont: Lichtintegrierte Objekte, Bilder, Zeichnungen und Texte 1994–2002, publisher: TARA art e.V. art association, ISBN 3-00-012899-9.
  • Holger Christian Stockinger: Spurensuche nach den irdischen Wurzeln. In: Indisch Kulinarisch – Umweltshonend, klimafeundlich,[50] vegan, Publication in internet, Part of the Project SAMASYA

References

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  1. ^ "23rd State Exhibition of Art" (PDF), TARA art, 1993
  2. ^ Kerala Lalithakala Akademi (March 11, 2012). "State Awards". State Awards Kerala Lalithakala Akademi. Kerala Lalithakala Akademi.
  3. ^ "Biografie". Sreeraj Gopinathan Vita (in German). April 22, 2016.
  4. ^ Gopinathan, Sreeraj (2014). SAMASYA – Irdisch und kosmisch zugleich (PDF). Berlin: TARA art e.V., non profit art association. p. 97.
  5. ^ "Biografie". Sreeraj Gopinathan Vita (in German). April 22, 2016.
  6. ^ Ungelenk, Dieter (2001-09-01). "Ungreifbare im Zwielicht" (PDF). Neu Presse.
  7. ^ Gopinathan, Sreeraj (2003). Über dem Horizont (PDF). Coburg, Germany: TARA art e.V., non profit art association. p. 66. ISBN 3-00-012899-9.
  8. ^ Holger Christian Stockinger (December 2, 2018). "Interdisziplinäres Kunstprojekt SAMASYA" (in German). TARA art e.V.
  9. ^ "TARA art e.V. :: Willkommen". tara-art.org. Retrieved 1 June 2019.
  10. ^ Freies Wort, regionale Tageszeitung in Südthüringen, ed. (October 1, 2002), Kunst auf Schloss Bedheim (in German), Suhl: Suhler Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co.KG
  11. ^ Thüringer Ministerium für Bildung, Jugend und Sport (in German). April 29, 2019 https://www.thueringen.de/th2/tmbjs/index.aspx. Retrieved 1 June 2019. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)[dead link‍]
  12. ^ Coburger Tageblatt, ed. (October 14, 2003), Künstlerische Reise ins Licht (in German), Coburg: Mediengruppe Oberfranken GmbH & Co. KG
  13. ^ Dieter Ungelenk (October 3, 2003), Neue Presse Coburg, Tageszeitung (ed.), Die Magie der Tiefe (in German), Coburg: Druck und Verlagsanstalt Neue Presse GmbH
  14. ^ "DAP | Lehr- und Forschungsinstitut München". www.psychoanalysebayern.de. Retrieved 1 June 2019.
  15. ^ "TARA art e.V. :: Willkommen". tara-art.org. Retrieved 1 June 2019.
  16. ^ Kerala Lalithakala Akademi Government of Kerala, ed. (December 22, 1989), "Untitled, pen and ink drawing", 19th STATE EXHIBITION OF ART 1989 (in German), Thrichur, Kerala
  17. ^ Kerala Lalithakala Akademi Government of Kerala, ed. (December 23, 1993), "The Gaze", 23rd STATE EXHIBITION OF ART 1993 (in German), Thrichur, Kerala
  18. ^ Nürnberger Nachrichten, ed. (May 24, 1999), "Ewige Reise", Ausstellungskatalog (in German), Nürnberg: Verlag Nürnberger Presse Druckhaus Nürnberg GmbH & Co
  19. ^ Lippische Landes-Zeitung, ed. (December 19, 2000), Die Mombachstraße in Styropor (in German), Detmold: Lippischer Zeitungsverlag
  20. ^ Lippische Rundschau, ed. (December 16, 2000), Junge Kunst vor alten Maschinen präsentiert (in German), Detmold: Lippischer Zeitungsverlag
  21. ^ Lippische Rundschau, ed. (December 16, 2000), Viele Bewerber für Kunst-Stipendium (in German), Detmold: Lippischer Zeitungsverlag
  22. ^ "Kunstausstellung NATUR – MENSCH". Kunstausstellung NATUR – MENSCH, Kunst und Kultur National Park Harz (in German). Nationalparkverwaltung Harz.
  23. ^ Akademie für Gestaltung und Denkmalpflege, Ebern, ed. (June 14, 2002), "Lichtkaskaden", Ausstellungskatalog, Indische zeitgenössische Kunst (in German), Ebern: Akademie für Gestaltung und Denkmalpflege, Ebern
  24. ^ Archäologisches Museum, Bad Königshofen im Grabfeld, ed. (August 31, 2002), "ohne Titel, lichtintegriertes Objekt", Feuer und Wasser, Kunstausstellung 2002, Ausstellungskatalog (in German), Bad Königshofen im Grabfeld
  25. ^ "Archäologiemuseum". Museen in der Schranne (in German). Retrieved 1 June 2019.
  26. ^ Gopinathan, Sreeraj (2003). Über dem Horizont (PDF). Coburg, Germany: TARA art e.V. ISBN 3-00-012899-9.
  27. ^ Sreeraj Gopinathan, ed. (2003), "Über dem Horizont", Lichtintegrierte Objekte, Bilder, Zeichnungen und Texte 1994 – 2002 (in German), vol. Bildband (2000 ed.), Coburg: TARA art e.V. Kunstförderverein, ISBN 978-3-00-012899-8
  28. ^ Neue Presse Coburg, ed. (July 12, 2014), Über dem Horizont (in German), Coburg: Druck und Verlagsanstalt Neue Presse GmbH
  29. ^ Coburger Tageblatt, ed. (July 13, 2014), Magische Reise ins Licht (in German), Coburg: Mediengruppe Oberfranken GmbH & Co. KG
  30. ^ Sreeraj Gopinathan, Margit Hess (June 28, 2003). "Sreeraj Gopinathan – Über dem Horizont". Sreeraj Gopinathan-Publikation (in German). Sreeraj Gopinathan.
  31. ^ Margit Hess (March 16, 2003). "TARA art e.V.::Willkommen" (in German). TARA art e.V. Kunstförderverein.
  32. ^ Gopinathan, Sreeraj (2014). SAMASYA – Irdisch und kosmisch zugleich (PDF). Berlin: TARA art e.V.
  33. ^ Sreeraj Gopinathan (March 16, 2003). "Sreeraj Gopinathan-Publikation". Sreeraj Gopinathan-Home (in German). Sreeraj Gopinathan.
  34. ^ Sreeraj Gopinathan (March 16, 2016). "Eine gesunde und nachhaltige Interpretation der indischen Kochkunst". Indisch Kulinarisch (in German). Sreeraj Gopinathan.
  35. ^ Sreeraj Gopinathan (January 12, 1995), Alliance française du Bengale (ed.), "L'ami", Le Cri de la Mouche (in German), Kalkutta
  36. ^ Alliance française du Bengale (March 19, 2000). "Alliance française du Bengale I Official french centre in India". Alliance française du Bengale.
  37. ^ Sreeraj Gopinathan (September 22, 1995), Alliance française du Bengale (ed.), "Ma grand-mère", Le Cri de la Mouche (in German), Kalkutta
  38. ^ Sreeraj Gopinathan, Margit Hess (March 16, 2016). "Project-SAMASYA_Teil_I_Resensitization". Project-SAMASYA (in German). Sreeraj Gopinathan.
  39. ^ Holger Christian Stockinger (March 18, 2015). "Holger Christian Stockinger – Offizielle Website". Holger Christian Stockinger (in German).
  40. ^ Margit Hess (December 14, 2017). "Erlebnisräume als Sprungbrett für das Bewusstsein". Projekt SAMASYA – Teil II – Elementary, Offizielle Website von Project SAMASYA (in German). Sreeraj Gopinathan.
  41. ^ Holger Christian Stockinger (November 15, 2007). "Die Stille und das Dunkel". SREERAJ GOPINATHAN – Home, Offizielle Website von Sreeraj Gopinathan (in German). Sreeraj Gopinathan.
  42. ^ Margit Hess (January 11, 2017). "Odyssee zur Wiege des Lebens". OWIYAM Chronik, Offizielle Website von Project OWIYAM (in German). Sreeraj Gopinathan.
  43. ^ Nobert Kastner (2003), TARA art e.V. Kunstförderverein (ed.), "Grußwort", Über dem Horizont: Lichtintegrierte Objekte, Bilder, Zeichnungen und Texte 1994 – 2002 (in German), Coburg, ISBN 3-00-012899-9
  44. ^ Margit Hess (April 1, 2014), TARA art e.V. Kunstförderverein (ed.), "Im Zwielicht", Sreeraj Gopinathan – SAMASYA – Irdisch und Kosmisch Zugleich (in German) (1000 ed.), Berlin
  45. ^ Holger Christian Stockinger (April 1, 2014), TARA art e.V. Kunstförderverein (ed.), "Prolog", Sreeraj Gopinathan – SAMASYA – Irdisch und Kosmisch Zugleich (in German) (2000 ed.), Berlin
  46. ^ James Sebastian (August 16, 2014), TARA art e.V. Kunstförderverein (ed.), "Zwischen Fülle und Leere", Sreeraj Gopinathan – SAMASYA – Irdisch und Kosmisch Zugleich (in German) (1000 ed.), Berlin
  47. ^ Holger Christian Stockinger (December 2, 2016). "Resensibilisierung – Im Universum der Sinne". Projekts SAMASYA – Teil I – Resensitization, Offizielle Website von Project SAMASYA (in German). Sreeraj Gopinathan.
  48. ^ Gregor Bendel (October 13, 2003), TARA art e.V. Kunstförderverein (ed.), "Von der Linie zum Licht", Sreeraj Gopinathan – Über dem Horizont: Lichtintegrierte Objekte, Bilder, Zeichnungen und Texte 1994 – 2002 (in German) (2000 ed.), Coburg
  49. ^ Margit Hess (October 13, 2003), TARA art e.V. Kunstförderverein (ed.), "Suche nach dem Ungreifbaren", Über dem Horizont: Lichtintegrierte Objekte, Bilder, Zeichnungen und Texte 1994 – 2002 (in German) (2000 ed.), Coburg
  50. ^ Holger Christian Stockinger (March 24, 2016). "Spurensuche nach den irdischen Wurzeln". Indisch Kulinarisch – Umweltshonend, Klimafeundlich, Vegan (in German). Sreeraj gopinathan.
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