Posted on 25 August 2026:
Transformation 2026: Kalaimamani C. Mounissamy’s Solo Art Exhibition Breathes New Life into Puducherry’s Rock Art Heritage
Solo Show #12 by acclaimed Puducherry artist C. Mounissamy runs from 21–30 August 2026 at Alliance Française de Pondichéry, showcasing acrylic paintings inspired by ancient rock art.
In the quiet courtyard of the Alliance Française de Pondichéry, Transformation 2026 –the twelfth solo exhibition of Kalaimamani Artist C. Mounissamy, opened its doors on 21 August and continues through 30 August 2026, inviting art lovers, collectors and curious wanderers alike to witness a body of work that treats the past not as something to be preserved behind glass, but as something to be lived in color.
An Artist Rooted in History, Painting in the Present Tense
Born in Puducherry, C. Mounissamy carries an unusual dual identity into his art: that of a historian and that of a painter. Armed with a Master’s degree in History, a two-year Diploma in Fine Arts from Bharathiyar Palkalaikoodam, and a Technical Teacher Training Course from Pondicherry University, Mounissamy approaches the canvas the way a historian approaches a manuscript — with reverence for what came before, and a determination to make it speak to those who come after.
Over the years, this approach has earned him some of the region’s most distinguished honours, including the Puduvai Tamil Sangam Award, the Ravi Varma Award from the Puducherry Artist Society, and the prestigious Kalaimamani Award — a recognition that now precedes his name wherever it is spoken in Tamil Nadu’s art circles.
Where Ancient Rock Meets Modern Acrylic
What sets Transformation 2026 apart is not merely its title but its thesis. Mounissamy’s driving passion lies in preserving the essence of ancient rock paintings while reimagining them through a distinctly modern lens.
Working almost exclusively in acrylic, he captures the raw, elemental spirit of humanity’s earliest art forms and infuses it with a palette vivid enough to arrest a contemporary eye.
His canvases are less artworks than they are bridges — spans connecting the cave wall to the gallery wall, connecting an unnamed hand from millennia ago to the hand holding the brush today. Every stroke, in his own words, becomes a tribute to history, transformed into something that speaks across generations rather than simply documenting one.
There is also a gentler, more poetic thread running through his practice. Mounissamy often likens his work to a rainbow — nature’s own fleeting masterpiece, glimpsed only after a drizzle has passed. Much like that rare celestial display, his paintings try to hold onto the colours that quietly stitch together everyday life: the moods, the dreams, and the small transformations of living beings that might otherwise go unnoticed.
A Grand Inauguration Befitting the Artist’s Stature
The exhibition’s opening evening on 21 August 2026 was itself a gathering of Puducherry’s cultural and artistic elite. The lamp was lit by Chief Guest Thiru. P. Rajavelu, Hon’ble Minister of Art & Culture, Puducherry, in the presence of Mr. M. Laurent Jalicous, Director of Alliance Française de Pondichéry.
The evening also honoured several distinguished names from the art world: Artist Remiyan attended as Special Invitee in his capacity as Art Director and Visual Artist, while Thiru. Ellai Sivakumar, State President of Puducherry Maanila Kalai Ilakiya Perumandram, was felicitated as Guest of Honor.
The Felicitation Address was delivered by Artist K.M. Saravanan, President of the Artist Kala Academy, alongside remarks from Artist R. Rajendran, Founder of Assist World Records, Puducherry, and Thiru. E. Balasubramanian, President of the Tamil Nadu Art & Literary Association, Puducherry State Committee.
The evening closed, fittingly, with a Vote of Thanks from the artist himself.
Experience Transformation 2026
- Venue: Alliance Française de Pondichéry (Art Gallery), 58, Rue Suffren Street, White Town, Puducherry – 1
- Regular Exhibition Dates: 22–30 August 2026
- Viewing Hours: 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM and 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM
