Arteco, A Love Poem of Arts & Ecology by Nitish Chendrapaty-Appadoo

Arteco was a beautiful human experience. A firework of colours, mixed with generosity and chapters of storytelling.

I remember on 19 Dec 2023: the rain was pouring hard on the concert. But, inside this little room, the sun was shining bright. The artist was standing there, ready to welcome us into his world. Nitish Chendrapaty-Appadoo, the heartbeat behind this show, radiated the colours on the walls. I could even picture colourful rays cuddling his aura.

I've spent an hour seeing the expo through his eyes. It was an exquisite journey. Nitish, if you fall on this letter, thank you once, thank you twice.

His first solo art exhibition is a case study of vulnerability.

Nitish's heart is at the centre of these pieces. He draws art out of each pulse. One beat at a time. From love to pain to he( art )break. It felt like it when he mumbled the story behind his art.

You are not meant to stand still. Tilt your head he said to me.

I love shows where we have to dance across the room. A little tilt to the right and left. Two steps forward, one step backwards, a little boogie. It's always fun to converse with art from all angles.

After much tossing and turning, these two paintings ended up in my top 3. They look perfect next to each other.

I love the various shapes and how the colours complement each other. It looks like a puzzle, falling into place. It's playful, and wherever my eyes land, it smiles. On this wall, I can see a cascade of good vibes, birthed from Nitish's creativity.

Did tears run down his cheeks at times? Or did he wear a smile with his brush in hand? Arteco is like an open diary where you have to read in-between the lines.

The painting, packed with flowers, was a nod to our childhood. I remember in primary school, we did paintings using flowers, vegetables and leaves. It was fun creating patterns, but mine was not as nice as Nitish's art. I found a relic from the past. Please don't judge; it was around 25+ years ago. I remember it was stuck in my childhood box, and I'm glad I still found it. I even showed it to my grandma, and it brought us quiet joy. That's why I love art. It sparks emotions, brings back memories, and crafts new ones.

Ecology

At times, you get lost amongst mountains, flowers and leaves. Then, you plunge into the ocean - where fish, whales and sea turtles cohabitate with corals and WASTES. As ecology was a driving force of his expo, he rang the bell on our attitude towards nature's gift. Art with a purpose is so beautiful.

Nou Losean Manifik

Plastics hold the ocean hostage. It strangles living creatures, squeezing their breath till death. This art is a beautiful reminder that our ocean is in apnea. The ocean suffers in silence because of human behaviour. We become perpetrators and victims at the same time. I love how he wrapped cellophane around this painting. It gives the painting so much depth and meaning.

How many hearts I’ve you seen till now? A lot, right? We are midway, just count the number of hearts with me now.

A puzzle of colours

If I could run away, I'd like to get lost in these mountains. These 3 paintings are among my favourites. Imagine playing hide and seek with your friends there. At the age when worries had no meaning. At the age when finding sweets was your life's main goal. These arts tickled my childhood spirit. I like it a lot.

Look at his smile. It always feels good to see an artist showcase its plethora of art. It’s always a feast to sneak into their own world. To see them extend their creativity to the world. They make art and then art makes us - keeping us sane in moments of tragedy, bringing light to our chaos and mending our wounds.

What do you see? I have an idea but, I want to hear yours first.

Not every art needs explanation. I will let you enjoy the rest of this expo in silence.

I've tried to express how it felt back then. I hope you've enjoyed this residue of my memories. His passion was striking. He poured his heart into his art, letting the emotions pass through the sieve of time.

Arteco felt pure, honest and vibrant. A beautiful ballad in nature and a dive in the ocean. Definitely, a one-of-a-kind experience. I know this show took place a while back, but it felt so right and important to me to carve a space for it here. Revisiting past shows always brings me happiness. I hope you were able to disconnect for a while.

Until next time, make art human again.