Ode to a Master Precious is the life of those whose creations kindle life in others
Painter, sculptor, muralist, K. G. Subramanyan was among the few artists who have explored the possibilities of modern art from a different perspective, giving new dimensions to the human figure by making them appear more as characters from various myths and traditional narratives, populating a composition quite the contrary. As an artist he was extraordinarily versatile, cherishing the facility to work in diverse media, sizes, and techniques over a stylistic conformity to a single medium, genre, size, technique, and K. G. Subramanyan manner of visualization. 1924-2016
Born on 15 February, 1924 in in a village in north Kerala,
Subramanyan attended the Presidency College, Madras and became involved in the freedom struggle. He was imprisoned and debarred from government colleges. The turning point of his life came when he joined Kala Bhavan at Visva Bharati in Santiniketan in 1944. He studied under the tutelage of Benode Behari Mukherjee, Nandalal Bose and Ramkinkar Baij at Santiniketan. He graduated from Kala Bhavan, Visva Bharati University, there in 1948 after receiving his Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from the Presidency College in Madras.
Between 1951 and 1959, Subramanyan was a lecturer in painting at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Baroda. During 1955 Low Relief and 1956, he went to the Slade School of Art in London to Terracotta, 64 x 64 cm study as a British Council research scholar. From 1959 to 1961, Subramanyan was deputy director (design) at All India Handloom Board, Bombay. He continued to be a design consultant till 1966. He went back to Baroda as reader in painting between 1961 and 1965.
From 1966 to 1980, Subramanyan was professor of painting at Baroda. He went to New York as J D Rockefeller fellow during 1966 and 1967. From 1968 to 1974, he acted as the dean of the faculty of fine arts, Baroda. In 1975 and 1976, he attended World Craft council meets as a delegate. In 1976, he was a visiting lecturer at various Canadian universities. In
1980 Subramanyan moved back to Santiniketan and till 1989 was professor of painting at Kala Bhavan. During 1987 and The Visitors | 1996 1988, he lived at Oxford as Christensen Fellow in St. Acrylic on canvas, 57.7" x 57"
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Catherine's College. In 1989, he was appointed professor emeritus at Kala Bhavan, Visva Bharati.
Subramanyan’s work has been exhibited in over fifty solo shows, the most natable including those presented by Seagull Foundation for the Arts in collaboration with Nandan Gallery at Kala Bhavana, Kolkata, in 2009; ‘The Painted Platters’ at the Guild Art Gallery, Mumbai, in 2007; and ‘The Magic of Making’ at the Seagull Arts and Media Resource Centre, Kolkata, and Rabindra Bhavan, Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi, also in 2007. Odd encounters | 1996 Acrylic on canvas, 56" x 57" A prolific writer, scholar, teacher and art historian,
Subramanyan used his in-depth knowledge time and again to blur the boundaries between art and the artisan. He dabbled in glass painting and toy making, even weaving, which is generally considered ‘artisanal’. He also reinvested several mediums earlier used in Indian art. A theoretician and art historian, Subramanyan wrote extensively on Indian art. His writings form a foundation for the study of contemporary Indian art. Even in his written works, the exploration of art as a language or means of communication is a recurring theme. He also weaved some delightful fables for children and illustrated them.
K. G. Subramanyan received the Padma Shree in 1975, the Kalidas Samman in 1981, a D. Litt. (Honoris Causa) from the Rabindra Bharati University, Calcutta in 1992 and became a Fellow of Kerala Lalit Kala Akademi in 1993. He was awarded with the Padma Bhushan in 2006, and subsequently the Padma Vibhushan in 2012.
Subramanyam spent more than 70 years as an active, Fairy tales from Pusera Palli-3 versatile, brilliant art practitioner, and would remain Water colour and oil on amongst the best Art Masters that India has ever produced. acrylic sheet, 1986 For the latter part of his life, he worked from his 23.4" x 33.5" spectacularly beautiful home in Baroda. He departed for the divine abode on June 29, 2016 and shall be fondly remembered for his exceptional service to the arts and humanity.
Source: www.saffronart.com & www.contemporaryindianart.com