C. N. Karunakaran

C. N. Karunakaran was born in 1940 at Brahmakulam, a village near Guruvayur in Thrissur District of Kerala.{{Cite web |url=https://www.keralatourism.org/leadinglights/cn-karunakaran/7 |title=C. N. Karunakaran - Kerala Tourism profile |date=2019-03-15 |website=Kerala Tourism |language=en |access-date=2019-03-15}} He contracted typhoid while he was a child and the complications from the disease crippled him in one of his legs.{{Cite web |url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/131215/news-current-affairs/article/painter-cn-karunakaran-dies |title=Painter CN Karunakaran dies |date=2013-12-15 |website=Deccan Chronicle |language=en |access-date=2019-03-15}} Through most of his childhood, he was undergoing ayurvedic treatment because of which he could not pursue academic studies.{{Cite web |url=http://www.narthaki.com/info/profiles/profl138.html |title=Profile - CN Karunakaran: The artist and his world - Padma Jayaraj |website=www.narthaki.com |access-date=2019-03-15}} His formal training in art was at the Government College of Fine Arts, Chennai where he learned under such as D. P. Roy Choudhury and K. C. S. Paniker to secure two diplomas; one in design and another in advanced painting.

He stayed in Chennai even after his studies, making advertisement films and working as an art director in a few Malayalam films.{{Cite web |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/artist-c-n-karunakaran-passes-away/article5459666.ece |title=Artist C. N. Karunakaran passes away |date=2013-12-14 |website=The Hindu |language=en-IN |access-date=2019-03-15}} In 1970, he shifted his base to Kochi where he became involved with Kerala Kalapeedom (Kerala Institute of Arts). Here, he had the opportunity to interact with a host of like-minded people such as M. V. Devan, Kanayi Kunhiraman, A. C. K. Raja, Namboothiri, K. P. Soman, M. K. K. Nair, C. N. Sreekantan Nair, M. K. Sanu, Pattathuvila Karunakaran, M. Thomas Mathew and T. Ramachandran. Three years later, he founded Chitrakoodam, the first privately-owned art gallery in Kerala{{Cite web |url=http://www.artkerala.com/artist_info/Artist_item.asp?Artist_ID=52 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060530004220/http://www.artkerala.com/artist_info/Artist_item.asp?Artist_ID=52 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2006-05-30 |title=C.N.Karunakaran - Artisit Information by Art Kerala |date=2006-05-30 |access-date=2019-03-16}} but the initiative ran only for four years until 1977. He was also involved with Ochre, another private art gallery in Kochi. Subsequently, he focused his career mainly on painting and illustrations; Manorama Weekly, Kalakaumudi, Kerala Kaumudi Weekly, Malayalanadu, Chintha, Deshabhimani Weekly, Kumkumam, Mathrubhumi Weekly, Bhashaposhini and India Today were some of the publications he illustrated for.{{Cite web |url=http://www.cnkarunakaran.com/home.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070501043845/http://www.cnkarunakaran.com/home.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=2007-05-01 |title=Profile on defunct web page - archived copy |date=2019-03-15 |access-date=2019-03-15}}{{cite web|title=C.N. Karunakaran Profile|url=http://www.chaithanya-artgallery.com/5/C.N-KARUNAKARAN-profile.html|publisher=Chaithanya Art Gallery|access-date=17 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091202111517/http://www.chaithanya-artgallery.com/5/C.N-KARUNAKARAN-profile.html|archive-date=2 December 2009|url-status=dead}} He also illustrated Lore and Legends of Kerala, the English translation of Aithihyamala, published by Oxford University Press.{{Cite book |url=https://india.oup.com/product/lore-and-legends-of-kerala-9780195698893?searchbox_input=Lore%2520And%2520Legends%2520Of%2520Kerala |title=Lore and Legends of Kerala |work=india.oup.com |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2008 |isbn=9780195698893 |access-date=2019-03-15}}

Karaunakaran as married to Easwari, and the couple had a son, Ayillyan and a daughter, Ammini. He died in Kochi on 14 December 2013, at the age of 73, succumbing to cardiac failure following a brief period of illness. The body was cremated at the Corporation of Cochin Ravipuram Crematorium. His son, Ayillyan Karunakaran, is an advertisement filmmaker.{{Cite web |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/keeping-him-alive-works-of-artist-karunakaran-on-display-4974580/ |title='Keeping Him Alive': Works of artist Karunakaran on display |date=2017-12-09 |website=The Indian Express |language=en-IN |access-date=2019-03-15}}

{{quotebox|align = left|width=22em|the untiring cartographer of female geography… the essence of the subject remains a constant, it is the flavor of the subject that moves to create and recreate, said Tanya Abraham, art critic, on Karanakaran.}}

File:A drawing by c n karunakaranDSC 0143.JPG

One of the first assignments Karunakaran undertook after returning to Kerala from Chennai was the restoration of murals at Guruvayur temple. He participated in several exhibitions, both group and solo, at various places in India and abroad, including the Embassy of India in Washington, Asian Art Gallery, Virginia, Brazilian cities like Rio de Janeiro, Paraty, São Paulo and Brasília, Asian Art Gallery, Vienna and Kuwait City.{{Cite web |url=http://www.orgpeople.com/prof-artist/c%20n%20karunakaran/karunakaran.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051219130617/http://www.orgpeople.com/prof-artist/c%20n%20karunakaran/karunakaran.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=2005-12-19 |title=Artist profile on ORG People |date=2019-03-15 |website=orgpeople.com |access-date=2019-03-15}} During his stay in Chennai, he was also involved with the Madras Design Demonstration Centre, a unit of the Government of Tamil Nadu where he assisted the centre in improving the handicrafts business and has illustrated a number of literary works in book form.{{Cite web |url=https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=au%253AKarun%25CC%25A3a%25CC%2584karan%252C+Si.+En.%252C&qt=hot_author |title=au:Karuṇākaran, Si. En. |date=2019-03-16 |website=worldcat.org |access-date=2019-03-16}}

Karaunakaran's debut in films was in 1978 when he designed the production of Ekakini, directed by G. S. Panicker.{{Cite web |url=https://www.malayalachalachithram.com/movieslist.php?ds=9264 |title=List of Malayalam Movies design by CN Karunakaran |website=www.malayalachalachithram.com |access-date=2019-03-16}} The next year, when K. R. Mohanan made his debut film, Ashwadhamavu, Karunakaran started his career as an art director,{{Cite web |url=https://www.malayalachalachithram.com/movie.php?i=827 |title=Ashwathaamaavu (1979) |website=www.malayalachalachithram.com |access-date=2019-03-16}} in which he also played a small part.{{Cite web |url=https://www.malayalachalachithram.com/movieslist.php?a=9264 |title=List of Malayalam Movies acted by CN Karunakaran |date=2019-03-16 |website=www.malayalachalachithram.com |access-date=2019-03-16}} He went on to work for four more films,

Akkare (1984) of K. N. Sasidharan, Purushartham (1986) of K. R. Mohanan, Ore Thooval Pakshikal (1988) of Chintha Ravi and Alicinte Anveshanam (1989) of T. V. Chandran.{{Cite web |url=https://www.malayalachalachithram.com/movieslist.php?at=9264 |title=List of Malayalam Movies art direction by CN Karunakaran |website=www.malayalachalachithram.com |access-date=2019-03-16}}

His performance during his student years at the Government College of Fine Arts, Chennai earned him the gold medal of the Government of Madras for the best outgoing student in 1956. He received one more award before he returned to Kerala, the annual award of Madras Lalit Kala Akademi in 1964. He received the Kerala Lalithakala Akademi Award, thrice, twice in succession in 1971 and 1972 and later, in 1975. He was selected for the P. T. Bhaskara Panicker Award in 2000 and for the Malayattoor Ramakrishnan Award in 2003. The Kerala Lalithakala Akademi indicted him as a distinguished fellow in 2005;{{Cite web |url=http://lalithkala.org/content/akademi-fellowships |title=Akademi Fellowships - Kerala Lalithakala Akademi |date=2019-03-16 |website=lalithkala.org |access-date=2019-03-16}} Akademi honoured him again in 2009, with Raja Ravi Varma Puraskaram, their highest award.{{Cite web |url=http://lalithkala.org/content/raja-ravi-varma-puraskaram |title=Raja Ravi Varma Puraskaram - Kerala Lalithakala Akademi |date=2019-03-16 |website=lalithkala.org |access-date=2019-03-16}} Artist Sathypal, the former chairman of the Kerala Lalithakala Akademi,{{Cite web |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Thiruvananthapuram/Artist-Sathyapal-to-head-Lalithakala-Akademi/article14552705.ece |title=Artist Sathyapal to head Lalithakala Akademi |date=2016-08-05 |website=The Hindu |language=en-IN |access-date=2019-03-16}} has published a book, Mythic Imagination: Art of C.N. Karunakaran,{{Cite book |title=Mythic imagination : Art of C.N. Karunakaran |year = 2011|publisher=Chintha Publishers |isbn=978-8192159720 |edition=First |location=Thiruvananthapuram |oclc=781937178}} which covers Karaunakaran's work from 1950s to 2011.{{Cite web |url=http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/word-on-art/917881/ |title=Word on Art - Indian Express |website=archive.indianexpress.com |access-date=2019-03-16}}

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• Ashwadhamavu (1979)
• Akkare (1984)
• Purushartham (1986)
• Ore Thooval Pakshikal (1988)
• Alicinte Anveshanam (1989)

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{{Div col|colwidth=40em}}

• Ekakini (1978)

• Ashwadhamavu (1979)

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File:C.N.Karunakaran DSC 0152.JPG]]

The following is the list of his solo exhibitions of paintings.{{cite web|url=http://www.chaithanya-artgallery.com/artistprofile.php?id1=5&name2=C.N-KARUNAKARAN|title=Artist Profile|publisher=Chaithanya Art Gallery}}

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• Madras - 1968, 1975 & 1993
• Kochi - 1970, 1984, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001 & 2005
• Calicut - 1973, 1993 & 1998
• Thiruvananthapuram - 1995, 1996, 1998 & 2000
• Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai - 1996, 2000 & 2005
• Taj Art Gallery, Mumbai - 1997 & 2000
• The Gallery Leela, Mumbai - 1997
• ABC Art Gallery, Varanasi - 1999
• Galeria Ralino, Goa - 1999
• Art Konsult Gallery, New Delhi - 2000
• Nehru Centre, Mumbai-2001, 2004
• Kottayam- 2001
• Thrissur- 2001
• Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - 2002
• Paraty, Brazil- 2002
• São Paulo, Brazil - 2002
• Brasília, Brazil - 2002
• Embassy of India Washington DC, USA - 2003
• Adithi Indian Cuisine, Washington DC, USA - 2003
• Asian Art Gallery, Vienna - 2003
• Kuwait City - 2003
• Travancore Gallery, New Delhi - 2006

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{{Reflist}}

• {{Cite book |title=Mythic imagination : Art of C.N. Karunakaran |last=Sathyapal |publisher=Chintha Publishers |isbn=978-8192159720 |edition=First |year=2011 |location=Thiruvananthapuram |oclc=781937178}}
• {{Cite book |url=https://onlinestore.dcbooks.com:443/books/CHITHRAKALA-ORU-SAMAGRAPADANAM?t=1 |title=Chithrakala Oru Samagrapadanam |last=R. Raveendanath |publisher=DC Books |year=2013 |isbn=9788126430550 |page=422}}

{{commons category|C. N. Karunakaran}}

• {{Cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxRmrHHDdIU |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211219/MxRmrHHDdIU |archive-date=2021-12-19 |url-status=live|title=Art exhibition to remember C.N.Karunakaran |last=Manorama News |website=YouTube |date=2016-12-14 |access-date=2019-03-15}}{{cbignore}}
• {{Cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObXdfAS4dm4 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211219/ObXdfAS4dm4 |archive-date=2021-12-19 |url-status=live|title=C N Karunakaran, Kerala Arts, Painting |last=nirmala nishkomalan |website=YouTube |date=2013-07-03 |access-date=2019-03-15}}{{cbignore}}
• {{Cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrdEO-IKE4E |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211219/NrdEO-IKE4E |archive-date=2021-12-19 |url-status=live|title=C.N. Karunakaran, exhibition of drawings and paintings |last=tvnowlive |website=YouTube |date=2014-01-13 |access-date=2019-03-15}}{{cbignore}}
• {{Cite web |url=http://www.edasseri.org/celebrations/orthiccreativecenter.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060617094404/http://www.edasseri.org/celebrations/orthiccreativecenter.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=2006-06-17 |title=Ambadiyilekku Veendum - a painting based on a poem by Edasseri Govindan Nair |date=2019-03-15 |website=edasseri.org |access-date=2019-03-15}}
• {{Cite web |url=http://www.thehinduimages.com/hindu/photoDetail.do?photoId=4608376 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928010534/http://www.thehinduimages.com/hindu/photoDetail.do?photoId=4608376 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2007-09-28 |title=Senior artist C.N. Karunakaran with artist Jayasree Venugopal |date=2019-03-15 |website=The Hindu Images Gallery |access-date=2019-03-15}}

{{Painters from Kerala}}

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Category:20th-century Indian painters

Category:20th-century Indian illustrators

Category:1940 births

Category:2013 deaths

Category:People from Thrissur district

Category:Government College of Fine Arts, Chennai alumni

Category:Indian art directors

Category:Painters from Kerala

Category:Indian advertising directors