Tom Vattakuzhy paints uncertainty amid real-world chaos
Kerala artist Tom Vattakuzhy was curious to see how his artworks, set in an entirely different cultural milieu, would be viewed at his recent shows in Paris and London. He was in for a surprise.
As a selection of his paintings, Under the Changing Sky, was being installed at La Monnaie de Paris, widespread unrest unfolded across the city. What started as student protests escalated, leading to arson and looting.
“Before he knew it, Tom found himself inside a supermarket as it was being looted. It was frightening and disorienting, an experience I am still processing,” he said. “I have spent years exploring uncertainty and instability through painting, but to encounter them so directly in life was something else entirely.”
Presented at The Third Space at Asia NOW Paris and curated by Valentina Rosas Saad, the three works on display depict dramatic vistas where the sky has been painted in exhilarating tones, exploring the uncertainty of choosing a path.
The artist is also showing solo for the first time in London, at AstaGuru, as part of Asian Art 2026. A collection of nine works, Shifting Ground, which opened on October 14 during Frieze Week, dwells on uncertainty and the fact that the very ground beneath one’s feet could turn unstable.
Deeply moored in Kerala’s socio-cultural landscape, the works question the transitions that shape human lives, said the artist who is known for luminous, figurative works that evoke domestic quietude and memory.
