In Good Company

Maanas Udayakumar’s work draws from the shared experiences that unfolded within his studio space. In his first solo exhibition in 2024, his paintings captured small, passing moments from inside and around his studio. People, plants, animals and fish appeared in quick, fluid compositions. Painted in acrylic emulsions on hand-stretched canvases and large sheets of paper, the works felt immediate and instinctive. The brushstrokes were fast and the figures loose, as if the paintings were trying to keep up with the rhythm of daily life. They were less about permanence and more about catching a feeling before it disappeared.

His recent works show a clear change. The scale is still large, but the approach is slower and more deliberate. Oils have always been his preferred medium, and for this body of work he returns to oil on canvas. The colours are deeper, the forms more defined and the scenes feel steadier. What once seemed fleeting now feels held in place. The shift in handling reflects a shift in mood. The paintings no longer simply observe moments; they sit with them.

The studio itself has remained constant. In 2019, Maanas moved into an Anglo-Indian building in Madhavaram that became his workspace. With its blue stained-glass windows and red oxide floors, it offered both light and character. The building was surrounded by thick gardens, animals and fishponds. Over time, it also became a gathering place for five close friends

The meaning of this space deepened after the loss of one of those friends. In response, Maanas began painting large canvases of his friend lying still. He returned to this image again and again. Eventually, the focus shifted. Instead of painting the stillness of death, he began painting the memories around it, the shared laughter, the presence and the atmosphere that remained.

Through this shift from quick impressions to patient, layered compositions, Maanas transforms personal grief into something collective. The paintings hold onto moments that might otherwise fade, turning everyday gatherings into lasting images.