The vibrant city of Chennai, formerly known as Madras, holds within its bustling streets and historic architecture a treasure trove of stories and cultural tapestries. As Madras Day approaches, a group of city-based artists and creators have taken it upon themselves to honor the city’s rich heritage through unique apparel and stationery. These artists not only find inspiration in the city’s culture but also share its intricate layers with others through their art.
One such artist is Mahalakshmi Somasundar, known for her work under the brand Mahaxarts, which she launched in 2021. “The city and its layered history is my muse in most of my personal projects,” says Mahalakshmi, whose fascination with Chennai began during her college years while studying Architecture. “We had a course centered around the city, and I found myself dumb-struck learning the city I was raised in had so many layers of history,” expresses the 25-year-old artist. Mahalakshmi’s work includes Madras-themed art on merchandise such as posters, postcards, art prints, stickers, and more.
In 2021, for the Instagram-based challenge #36DaysofType, Mahalakshmi produced a series of illustrations on heritage buildings across Chennai from A to Z. This series evolved into a poster called the Madras Alphabet, showcasing significant structures like the erstwhile Jeypore Palace (once home to Amethyst Cafe) and Electric Theatre (present Chennai’s Philatelic Bureau). Her dedication to gathering information about the city’s buildings for over two years breathes life into her art.
Additionally, Mahalakshmi has produced the Madras in Movies postcard series featuring illustrated stills from Tamil cinema with historically salient buildings and landmarks. These include the Ramalayam Palace of the Travancore royal family of Kerala (seen in the film Muthu). “The more I studied Chennai, the more I was able to identify heritage structures as the hidden element in movie frames and scenes,” she shares. This understanding led her to create a calendar centered around the city’s iconic landmarks. Products like these aim to bring the lesser-seen places in the background to the forefront, sharing stories and facts about them.
Similarly inspired by Chennai’s everyday life is Riddhi Rohit, who started her brand, Odd Trunk, in 2018. Rooted in her love for the city’s culture, her recent creations include autorickshaw-themed magnets and new additions to the Beach Bommai series. “The beach bommai design showcases a doll clad in a saree and sunglasses, holding a tender coconut. It captures the essence of a beautiful coastal life,” she explains. Her work draws heavily from her upbringing in Thanjavur, with designs reflecting the Tanjore dolls. Odd Trunk’s catalog includes stationery, wall art, bag charms, and more, with the floral drishti bommais being a particular favorite for their blend of traditional motifs and vibrant aesthetics.
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Among the city-themed creators, The Phoenix Company stands out, run by sisters Upasika and Aditi Maithreya. Established in the 1990s, the company creates quirky Chennai-themed merchandise, including apparel, decor, and souvenirs. “We started retailing T-shirts, magnets, etc., themed on the city in 1997,” says Aditi. Their products are designed to be souvenirs that remind people of Chennai. The No Place Like Home… series captures everyday Chennai moments, and their popular offerings include Madras-themed T-shirts, notebooks, art prints, and miniature food fridge magnets of dosas, idlis, and vadas. Their latest design features thayir saadam (curd rice), a favorite during the lockdown when they began creating clay rakhi magnets.
Further adding to the artistic celebrations of Madras Day is Vasudevan A’s Artagasm. His store features T-shirts inspired by MS Dhoni, Chennai’s map, auto rickshaw coasters, and a poster inspired by actor Rajnikanth’s movie Mannan. “We wanted to capture through our illustrations the essence of Madras – its chaos and beauty: from tea kadais and crowded buses to temples and beaches,” he says. Artagasm’s Mutts of Madras series, comprising postcards, T-shirts, tumbler bottles, and tote bags, celebrates the city’s stray dogs, encouraging an ‘adopt don’t shop’ policy.
Lastly, Muthu Kumaran Subramanian, an IT professional turned postcard artist, presents another avenue of celebrating Chennai. Having moved to the city in 2017, Muthu found his artistic voice through Postcrossing, a postcard exchange project during the lockdown. Last year, he turned his artwork of the city’s iconic landmarks into postcards and badges for Madras Day, receiving a positive response. This year, Muthu will launch a poster of his photographs of landmarks like Ripon Building and the LIC Building, a postcard shaped as the Chennai Central Railway Station, and badges.
As Madras Day approaches, these artists collectively ensure that the city’s heritage and charm are not only celebrated but also shared with a broader audience. Through their unique and varied artistic endeavors, they capture the essence of Chennai, making it a part of everyday life.
