Solidified paint, acrylic, ink on bonded particle cement board.
Set of 10. Width : 4 feet each piece. Height : variable
This body of work takes the chhajja (an architectural overhang, shade or hood) and reimagines its eclectic nature, often overlooked in its everyday presence. Chhajjas exist in multiple forms, as aesthetic markers of architectural identity, as utilitarian devices for shade and shelter, as informal social or commercial spaces. From the flat, marine-inspired Art Deco chhajjas to the tiered shapes of temple chhajjas, each variation reflects its cultural moment. In contrast, the absence of chhajjas in modernist forms like Charles Correa’s Kanchenjunga highlights how architecture can both inherit and resist this element, highlighting its role as a marker of time.
Kulavoor’s practice of working in iteration also points at the multiplicity in which these elements exist. It is not just the functional adaptability of the chhajja but also its capacity to mutate, extend, and encroach into footpaths, whether in the makeshift tarpaulin shelters of small shops or the battered facades of buildings. These protrusions become deliberate design choices as well as negotiations with space.
These observations distil into deliberate flat paintings that mimic the illusion of depthwhile remaining resolutely two dimensional. This method allows the artist to “sculpt” a chhajja that never truly protrudes, playing with perception and memory. In this way, the chhajja transforms from an architectural device into a symbol of eclectic urban life, a threshold between protection and exposure.
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