Filter coffee, Madras checks, the lungi, Marina Beach, Central Station — mention these and Chennai instantly comes to mind. Every city has its own distinct character, shaped by sounds, sights, flavours, and everyday rituals that endure the test of time. When Madras changed to Chennai in 1996, the name changed, but for a generation, the city still felt the same. At Inko Centre’s Legacies: Memories, Culture, Traditions – Madras to Chennai, the exhibition traces the city’s past and present through artworks that explore its urban landscape, textile traditions, architecture and everyday life, offering a glimpse into how Chennai has evolved while holding on to the memories that make it unmistakably its own.
Madras checks
Checks and Tumblers: Madras to Chennai by Sathya N Prabhu
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In artist Sathya N Prabhu’s series Checks and Tumblers: Madras to Chennai, a set of three paintings traces the city’s transition through the changing language of the sari. The works feature women dressed in the familiar Madras Checks, accompanied by the traditional filter coffee davara set, a fixture in South Indian homes.
Sathya’s women are often by themselves or engaged in conversation with another, captured in moments of leisure and repose. “There is a perception that women are always working; even when they are at home, you can see them doing something. I wanted to show that women also rest, when they take time out for themselves,” says the artist.
Checks and Tumblers: Madras to Chennai by Sathya N Prabhu
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The paintings are rendered in the Nayaka style, drawing from the mural and panel traditions that developed under the Nayak rulers of South India, particularly between the 16th and 18th centuries in regions such as Madurai, Thanjavur and Gingee. In her paintings, the passage of time is also reflected in the women’s attire, with shifts in the sari’s drape, patterns and styling.
Some of the other artists include Kirubakaran N, Preethi Umapathy, Rajesh RV and VR Raviram, who use paintings and sculptures to share their memories of Chennai.
“The exhibition reflects how the city has changed over 387 years — from the Madras Presidency to Madras, and finally to modern-day Chennai. This historical shift serves as the foundation for exploring the ‘legacies’ of the city. It also highlights how the rich culture and traditions of Madras (such as its art, textiles, and daily habits) continue but have transformed or modernised in today’s Chennai,” says curator Ashrafi Bhagat.
Artist Dilip Kumar Kesavan’s Chennai is the one spent on the beaches; the abstract works done on plywood feature conch shells and lungis, typical of beaches and fisherman communities. “You barely see people wearing lungis these days, but they are also a common sight when you sit at the beach. I feel those fabrics, and those checks could give a feel of time that has now become a memory,” says Dilip.
Chennai cityscape
Threats of Madras artwork by Karthikeyan Pitchaimallian
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Karthikeyan Pitchaimallian explains his memory of Chennai as the one where he was fascinated by the cityscape and the textiles. Coming from a weaving community, Madras Checks seemed like an apt description of Madras. “Growing up in Aruppukottai, a small town near Madurai, Chennai is where we headed to as kids for summer vacations. My paintings capture the changing landscape of the city through the years.” In one of his paintings, a kite becomes symbolic of the childhoods of many in Chennai, a sight which has become rare now.
We are Chennai, installation by Karthikeyan Pitchaimallian
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His glass installation, titled We are Chennai, depicts the Chennai skyscape, which he describes: “When a person sees themselves in the installation, it absorbs the colour of them; it transforms into something more intimate for the viewer, and becomes a part of the city. ”
Wood cut zinc plate work by artist Ramesh, titled Past with the Present
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Then there are the waterways, boats, birds, streets, and traditional visual elements that carry memories of the city. Artist Ramesh’s works explore Chennai through the experience of travelling, observing, and remembering the city. “My journey across Chennai becomes a way of discovering the relationship between its traditional identity and its rapidly developing urban landscape,” says Ramesh.
“The zinc-plate work brings together fragmented views of Chennai as seen during my travels. The divided forms suggest different locations and moments encountered while moving through the city, particularly from railway platforms and public spaces. Modern buildings, infrastructure, waterways, and older structures overlap, showing how Chennai continues to transform,” he adds.
Centre’s Legacies: Memories, Culture, Traditions – Madras to Chennai, is on at Inko Centre, Adyar Club Gate Road, Raja Annamalaipuram, till <a href="https://comicvibe.com/10-best-anime-to-binge-on-crunchyroll-in-september-2026/” title=”10 Best Anime to Binge on Crunchyroll in September 2026″>September 22, from Monday to Friday 9.30am to 5.30pm. Entry is free and open to all.
