Alappuzha: It's an unlikely venue for a modern art gallery. But Alexander Devasia's gallery, 'Sylviander House', somehow blends into the surroundings of Chettikad, a remote coastal village of Alappuzha. It could have something to do with the backdrop of his work, rain, which reflects the serenity of village life.

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Having lived in Germany for 14 years, Alexander Devasia has moved to Kerala to set up its first village modern art gallery that will open to the public on Friday. The idea, he says, is to raise awareness among the rural folk about the importance and influence of modern art in society and also draw tourists to Kerala's villages. Of the 59 paintings that he did while in Germany, 39 are based on the life of Vincent Van Gogh. His fascination with Van Gogh was so deep that he researched various stages of the renowned painter's state of mind during the last days of his life and tried to give his own impression of it using rainfall as a metaphor.

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 "Rain comes from another world, reminding us of the relationship between nature and humans. A casual look reveals only water drops, but their content means pulsating energy. It has soul and life! I've done my best to give meaning to rain, and my Van Goghian creations are the result of it," he says. Born in 1963 in Punnapra, Devasia worked as an artist with the Residence Theatre in Munich and now lives with his writer-artist German wife, Sylvie Bantle, in Chettikad. "I hope the gallery will encourage modern art and unlock young talent in this part of the world," he adds.