A MYSTIC'S WONDERWORLD

TNIE explores a Kerala Lalithakala Akademi retrospective organised as homage to legendary artist C N Karunakaran

- MANISHA V C S

WALKING into the Durbar Hall Art Gallery in Kochi, one is immediately captivated by the vibrant charm of colours. Figures of mythology, vividly brought to life in four canvas frames, showcase an eccentric mastery of lines and curves that hook in onlookers.

The colour-blocked frames feature graceful women, men, and creatures that spark a unique curiosity. Blissful brushstrokes create a harmonious blend of mythology, fantasy, and folk traditions, seamlessly tuned to contemporary artscapes.

Each frame radiates a vivid and lively narrative, capturing the essence of a painter, illustrator, cartoonist, art director, and a celebrated figure in Indian art - C N Karunakaran, a name cherished by Malayali art lovers.

The retrospective, organised by Kerala Lalithakala Akademi, was inaugurated on December 14, as a homage, on the 11th death anniversary of the mystical artist. And it has been drawing crowds who seek to immerse themselves in the mesmerising world that CNK had created.