A Ramachandran

The style comprised of the Rajasthani miniature traditions, refined with powerful figuration, forms and imagery, decorative elements, natural landscapes and a classic touch. Forceful lines, stylization of shapes and natural motifs along with the colours charachterized by Kerala Murals and the vividity of Rajasthan made the style one that is miniaturistically physical with the artist being present in every of his piece. He explored various materials from oil paintings to watercolours, pen and ink to writings as well as illustrations for children. Achutan Ramchandran Nair, born in Attingal, Kerala in 1937 had his formal art education done from Shantiniketan under an influence of the greats Benode Mukherjee and Ramkinkar Baij after completing his Masters in Malyalam Literature from the Kerala University. He also has completed a doctoral thesis on Kerala mural painting and has served as an art lecturer for around 3-decades in Jamia Milia University.
His early paintings were centered around the angst of urban life on larger sizes which saw a significant change over in the 1980s. At a later stage, Ramchandran essentially engaged in depicting life and nature through a style both Indian as well as contemporary. It’s roots go back to the artist’s sketching trips to the remote villages of Rajasthan, with the Lotus ponds, flora, fauna and the Bhils. The harmonious living of Bhils with nature captivated this artist to capture the essence and record their life and rituals by sketching.

Drawing being an integral part of Ramchandran’s daily routine, it has gained him quite an ease to produce large size murals and at the same time maintain the intimacy of miniature paintings where the artist calls it doing his Riyaaz daily by simply sketching and drawing. Later years saw Ramchandran create sculptures considering Ramkinkar Baij as his guru.These were literal 3-dimensional forms of his paintings with an understanding of the figurative structure as in the miniature form of paintings.

Conferred with Padma Bhushan in 2005 by the Government of India, he has received many awards and has given quite a number of solo exhibitions throughout along with books written on the life in Kerala. A National Award for Painting from 1973 and 1969, as well as the Raja Ravi Varma Puraskar from 2003. The artist continues to work at Delhi, still inspired by the nature and people back at the villages in Rajasthan and creating a world of peace and worth which he himself wishes for the people out there which are now on the edge of disappearance. You can browse through our gallery of Serigraphs to see more of his artworks and paintings along with other famous serigraph artists.