C.N. Karunakaran

30 Jun

Born in 1940 in Brahmakulam, near Guruvayur, C.N. Karunakaran studied painting and design at the Government School of Arts and Crafts, Madras, under masters like D.P. Roy Choudhury and K.C.S. Paniker. He returned to Kerala in 1970, becoming a vital force in its cultural revival.

Karunakaran’s work is celebrated for its distinctive style, rooted in Kerala’s mural tradition, fusing myth, memory, and regional symbolism into a figurative language that feels timeless. His stylised depictions of women, rooted in Indian classical traditions yet deeply personal, are among his most enduring subjects.

He was a founding figure in Kerala’s modern art movement and opened the state’s first private gallery, Chithrakootam, in 1973. His illustrations for literary works vividly reimagined Kerala’s legends for modern readers, while his book cover designs set new benchmarks in visual expression. There is a feminine charm in his works that has no parallels in the sphere of Kerala’s visual art.

Karunakaran exhibited widely in India and abroad, and received numerous accolades including the Raja Ravi Varma Puraskaram, Kerala Lalithakala Akademi Award, and P.T. Bhaskara Panicker Award, to mention a few. He also served as Chairman of the Kerala Lalithakala Akademi.

C.N. Karunakaran passed away in Kochi on December 14, 2013, leaving behind a body of work that continues to inspire with its poetic elegance and cultural depth.