Venue: Help University College
Year: 2006
Commissioned by: Help University College & Dragonet Diving for Project AWARE.

Corals are very sensitive and they take a long time to grow. However, even one accidental flap of a diver's fin can destroy it forever.

This worrying fact initiated a campaign to educate the public. Held by HELP University College, local dive centre, Dragonet Diving and Symbols House of Natural Art joined hands to make this campaign a success. The campaign was in conjunction with the marine conservation international project campaign named Aquatic World Awareness, Responsibility and Education (Aware).

The four-day campaign, themed 'Stepping On Corals Will Destroy Them Forever', was to create awareness and educate the public and their students on protecting marine life, especially corals.

The heart-shaped kolam depicting the marine life ecosystem like corals and sea creatures, designed by Symbols House of Natural Art's artist, Jeganathan Ramachandram reflected how a single touch or even an accidental swipe of the feet on the design could destroy the beautiful motives, a grim reminder that coral reefs suffer the same consequences as well.

The kolam took about five hours to construct.

The team members and their kolam.

Labels: brickfields, corals, gallery, Help university college, indian, international, jeganathan, kolam, project, ramachandram, symbols

The Artist

Jeganathan Ramachandram was born on 17 July 1962 in Kuala Lumpur. Like any creative person, his interest has always been wide and varied, but for need of description, he can be closely categorized as an artist, Manayadi Saastram (Vaasthu) practitioner, Nadha Brahmam analyst and columnist, author, poet and more. His yearning for the deep meaning and mysteries of life has been a long and continuous one, and not surprising, his works symbolically represent how he sees our physical, psychological and spiritual connection with the universe around us.

As for his art training, Jeganathan studied fine arts and traditional Indian painting (Tanjore Art) under Babu Surender, in Chennai, India from 1982 to 1984; granite sculpturing under Sthapathi Thangavelu Achari in Thirupathi, Principal of Thirupathi School of Temple Architecture, India; wood carving under Muthusamy Achari, Indian Classical music with ‘Vithvan’ Veena Arjuna in Madras and also Tantric art with Bootha Muni.

Among the very few Malaysian Indian artists, Jeganathan has exhibited his works in the National Art Gallery, Petronas Gallery and other leading galleries since 1984. A former artist with a leading daily, Jeganathan devoted to painting full time in 2004 when he opened his own art gallery/studio called Symbols House of Natural Art, which was strategically located in the heart of Brickfields. Currently, he is working from his home studio, located at Jalan Ipoh.

Labels: artist, author, healing, indian, international, jeganathan, malaysia, malaysian, nadha brahmam, painter, painting, petronas, poetry, ramachandram, symbols

1) adult art class (on Sundays)
time : 11 am -12.30 pm

New class would be formed for newcomers. Private classes are also available for interested enthusiasts.

Labels: adult, art, art class, artist, brickfields, children, classes, gallery, hindu, indian, international, jeganathan, malaysia, malaysian, painter, painting, ramachandram, studio, symbols