Kochi

$2,500.00

2024, Oil on Canvas
30*30 inches

Out of stock

Category: Rest of India

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A Legacy of Trade, Heritage, and Traditions
This painting from my travels to Kochi, the Queen of the Arabian Sea,
encapsulates the city’s layered history, natural beauty, and vibrant
cultural heritage. Against a backdrop that weaves the coastal outline
with tranquil backwaters and the dramatic Kathakali mask, Kochi’s
story unfolds.
Kochi, known as the ancient port of Muziris, was a vital spice trading
hub linked to Rome, Persia, Arabia, and China. The city’s architectural
legacy reflects centuries of Portuguese, Dutch, and British influence,
starting with Fort Emmanuel, built by the Portuguese in 1503, followed
by the Dutch takeover in 1663, and later British rule. The painting
features these historic layers: the elegant Bolgatty and Mattancherry
Palaces, the Portuguese St. Francis Church, and colonial warehouses
like Aspinwall and Brunton Boatyard. Many of these structures, now
boutique hotels, also serve as venues for the Kochi-Muziris Biennale,
which celebrates contemporary art within Kochi’s heritage setting.
Traditional Kerala icons are woven throughout the piece, such as the
“Pacha” green face in Kathakali (signifying noble roles), a vintage
Puttu maker, banana chips, Vallam Kali (snake boat race), and
Kettuvallam (houseboat). The scene also highlights iconic cantilevered
Chinese fishing nets, the Paradesi Synagogue, and relics from Kochi’s
industrial past, like the boilers repurposed from old cranes in Cochin’s
dry dock, adding layers to Fort Kochi’s identity.
The landscape extends to nature with lush backwaters, and Kerala’s
state bird, the majestic Great Hornbill, symbolizing the vibrant
ecosystem that thrives here. This painting captures Kochi’s spirit—a
harmonious blend of trade, tradition, and nature, all set against the
timeless Arabian Sea.

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