For these women of the cloth, creativity is cloak of visibility
KOCHI: Creativity and faith are both a calling that can come together in the artistic process. Nuns who embody this union may be considered rather rare to come by. But, then, there are those in the habit of overturning popular perception. Sr Lismys journey as a cinematographer began in the silence of her Congregation of the Mother of Carmel (CMC) convent. It was a chance encounter with a simple camera that stirred to life an interest. My superiors at the CMC Nirmala Province in Thrissur supported my desire to pursue academic training in media: a bachelors and masters in journalism and mass communication, and a diploma in cinematography and editing, says Sr Lismy, who took her vows in 2007. She began by shooting music videos for religious retreats. It later evolved into a full-fledged ministry. Now, I work as a freelance filmmaker and also manage a digital recording studio that produces Christian devotional music, documentaries, short films, and inspirational reels, she adds. Over the years, Sr Lismy has directed nearly 300 music videos, 35 documentaries, numerous short films, and reels. My first music video was born during a retreat. The moment lit a fire in me, not just creatively but spiritually, she says. Listing the projects close to her heart, Sr Lismy says Nanmayude Sugandham (The Fragrance of Virtue) tells the story of individuals who endure profound suffering, yet live with hope and dignity. Another work, Pidakkozhi (The Hen), a true story of redemption, received the 2024 Phoenix Film Award. These are not just productions; they are encounters with grace, she points out. Today, her content reaches global audiences through platforms such as Nirmala Media TSR and Camera Nun YouTube channels, the Sr Lismy CMC Instagram and Facebook profiles, and several other collaborative YouTube channels. Together, these platforms have had over 7.78 million views. According to Sr Lismy, cinematography may seem unconventional for a nun. But I believe that art, when guided by faith, becomes a ministry, she adds. She began with a small Sony camera, with the outdoors her studio. Now she operates from her recording space, Nirmala Media Digital Recording Studio. For Sr Roswin CMC, being a nun made it possible to find the artist in her. The habit gave me the freedom to express my art. My life as a religious person instilled in me discipline through prayer and meditation. And this, in turn, helped me refine my artistic expression, says the member of the Mary Matha Provincial House, in Vengoor, Ernakulam. For Sr Roswin aka Sr Malu Joy art runs in her blood. Watching her father paint and create magic by designing gardens got her hooked from childhood. She joined the convent after completing SSLC. It was here that Sr Roswins destiny as an artist began to take shape. During Covid, I painted biblical scenes and lettering on the convent walls. Impressed with my work, the mother superior got me admitted to RLV College Tripunithura, where I was able to hone my skills, recounts Sr Roswin. And now her creations rub shoulders with those of artists from all over the world at the sixth edition of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale. She is the first nun to be part of the event. Sr Roswin draws inspiration from the elderly nuns and visitors at the convent. My works dont idealise. I try to render my subjects as imperfect, fragile humans, who bear the marks of labour, time and resilience, she adds. From using waste paper as a canvas and the sidewalk as an exhibition venue during her student years, to expanding the contours of her drawings with notations gleaned from conversations with her subjects, Sr Roswin has come a long way.
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