How K.M. Vasudevan Namboodiri and C.N. Karunakaran redefined the artistic language of Kerala

Two artists who redefined and interpreted Kerala’s artistic heritage to craft a contemporary body of work were remembered recently at an exhibition titled ‘Masterpieces: A Tribute’. Held at the College of Fine Arts in Thiruvananthapuram, it featured 31 works of artist K.M. Vasudevan Namboodiri and 85 works of C.N. Karunakaran. Drawing inspiration from Kerala’s visual art traditions, the two had come up with a colour palette and style uniquely their own.

Students of K.C.S. Paniker and Roy Chaudhari, both trained in Chennai and their work was deeply influenced by the city’s vibrant artists’ movement. They were also acclaimed illustrators of novels and short stories by leading Malayalam writers, and contributed as art directors in films. But the similarities end there.

Vasudevan’s (1925-2023) displayed remarkable versatility, working across diverse mediums such as paper, canvas, wood, stone, cement, fibre and copper. This exhibition showcased his mastery over recreating a Kerala that has almost faded away.

A charcoal portrait of Karunakaran by Vasudevan welcomed visitors to the gallery. On display were 31 works, including charcoal sketches and oils, which are among his last creations. His birth centenary will be celebrated by the Government of Kerala on September 13.

Since much of his work reflects the region’s culture and traditions, the exhibition featured pieces depicting women from different communities dressed in the mundu. Among them were four works — one charcoal on paper and three pastels — showing Christian women in chatta-mundu, distinguished by the vishari, or pleated folds, at the back.  Several works that show Muslim women going about their routine dressed in pristine white with the thattam (cloth covering the head) and also of women from the Hindu community.

Many of Vasudevan’s works, in sepia tones, were created for a solo show, Ente Keralam, curated by Deepa Seetharam (in 2008), who has also put together this show. The paintings, in charcoal and pastel from this collection, pay a tribute to the reddish laterite soil of the State.

Vasudevan’s deep interest and familiarity with Kathakali also come alive in three of the exhibits — a scene from Kuchelavritham and Kathakali actors donning the roles of Rama and Hanuman on stage. 

Karunakaran’s stunning frames

Unlike the minimalism and austerity of Vasudevan’s canvases, Karunakaran’s (1940-2013) works are an explosion of colour palettes and populated by phantasmagorical figures. There are oils, pen and ink sketches, acrylics on canvas and watercolours. The statuesque women, resembling Indian sculptures, inhabit a space filled with flora (influenced by Indian miniatures) and fauna.

Like A. Ramachandran, another master from Kerala, whose art was influenced by murals and mythology, Karunakaran was also inspired by the region’s mural art tradition. He was born in Brahmakulam, near Guruvayur, a place known for this art. While some of the paintings on display represent his signature play with geometric forms, a few oils depict stunning landscapes. The watercolours have a translucent effect, giving a feeling of lightness to the works.

Karunakaran’s works merge the lyricism of Indian visual aesthetics with his modernist sensibilities. He was perhaps the first to open a private art gallery, Chitrakoodam, in Kochi.