C N Karunakaran – doyen of art

C N Karunakaran, who was Chairman of  Kerala Lalitakala Academy and also received Raja Ravi Varma Puraskaram – 2009 ‘ instituted by the Kerala State government. He is no stranger to those in the field of art or outside, as his very name speaks of excellence.  His paintings are symbolic with distinct technique in acrylic. He had  set up ‘Chitrakootam’, the first private art gallery of  Kerala State.  C. N Karunakaran is renowned for his highly stylised figures and intricately decorative patterns that weave across the pictorial surface.

He also runs an art gallery ‘Ochre’ in the city of Kochi.  At Ochre, art enthusiasts can go through an array of exhibits, which has some of the copies of his paintings,  along with the originals.

Mr:Karunakaran was born in 1940 to Mr. P.P Sekhara Menon and Mrs: Meenakhi Amma as the fifth child and the only son of Naikkathe Veedu at  Brahmakulam in Thrissur district.

His innate talent did not remain hidden for long, possibly an inheritance from his father’s uncle Mr. Karunakaran, a famous sculptor. C N Karunakaran enrolled in the Madras School of Arts and Crafts in the year 1952 where his close colleagues were the now well known names like S.G.Vasudev, Paris Viswanathan, T.K.Padmini, Dhanapalan and Ram gopal..

His art work is now valued in the vicinity of Rs.1 lakh.  But this doyen of art still leads a simple life. Lovers of art are conscious of this special quality and openly appreciative of the profound humanist, Mr: C N Karunakaran.

Attracted by the ancient arts,  Mr: Karunakaran was always keen to learn the secrets of the traditional art of temple wall paintings. His painting brush is a magic wand he has held majestically for the past fifty years.

Mr:Karunakaran is by a nature a pure, simple and affectionate person, extremely humble and unaffected by the praise and honour heaped on him. Ready to lend a helping hand to anyone who reaches for it, art asumes a certain divinity within this artist. Neither a fierce river nor a storm can sweep it away.

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