Couple Weaves Art from Coir Memory

Artist couple Smitha M Babu and RB Shajith are presenting their unique artistic visions at the ongoing Kochi Muziris Biennale. Their works, while different in focus, engage in a subtle dialogue, with Babu's art rooted in the history of Kerala's coir industry and Shajith's exploring ecological themes.

Babu's installation, 'Paakkalam,' draws from her childhood memories of coir workers in Neeravil, a village near Kollam. The piece incorporates painting, performance, and reconstruction, reflecting the labor and community spirit associated with coir production, particularly highlighting the economic freedom it offered women.

Shajith's series, 'Wiping Out,' features large-scale oil, acrylic, and watercolour paintings. These works evoke receding natural landscapes and ecological erosion, with elements of nature appearing and disappearing. His deliberate absence of human figures invites viewers to become active participants in contemplating the fragile environments depicted.

Together, their exhibitions offer a powerful commentary on themes of disappearance—whether of traditional labor, natural habitats, or ways of life—through distinct artistic lenses.