Yusuf Arakkal
Painter, sculptor
 Descendant
of the ruling Charakkal family of Kerala, an orphan Yusuf was
brought up in luxury by his aunt. Restless in a traditional
atmosphere, Yusuf came to Bangalore in his teens, worked as
a technical apprentice initially. He did a fine arts course
in Chitrakala Parishath in 1969,
after his true calling. Training in portrait painting under
Jaya Varma, his first one man show in 1975 put him on the road
to fame. Yusuf says that he is inspired by Gaugin
and India's Amrita Sher-Gil. The
subject of his paintings are people, sad, gaunt, paper skinned,
hollow eyed, trapped in a disturbing landscape of fragmented
colour. He experiments with new materials, ideas and images
taken from literature and art. Yusuf's works exhibited and owned
all over the world, they have won him numerous awards:
Karnataka Lalitkala Academy award (1979
and 1981), National award (1983),
and a Special award at the Asian Biennale, Dhaka in 1986.
Click here for an exclusive interview with Yusuf Arakal
Balan Nambiar
Painter, Sculptor, Photographer
 A
versatile artist, Balan Nambiar (born in Kerala, 1937) lives
in Bangalore, also spending time at his studio in Padua,
Italy. His first garden sculpture exhibition in 1975 made him
famous. Metal sculptures in steel, bronze, stone and concrete,
some twice his size, are inspiration from nature, while his
paintings are inspired by ritual symbols. As a photographer,
he documented ritual art forms of Kerala and Tulunadu in Karnataka,
recorded 150 hours of ritual performance music. He also creates
vivid enamelled works of art. He has exhibited works in Italy,
Germany, India, lectured and written on art, and holds classes
for children. He received the Nehru Fellowship
Award (1983-'85), State award from Lalith Kala Academy
(1980).
John Devraj
Sculptor, artist, engineer
 Besides
being a Civil engineer, sculptor, painter, architect and art
director, John Devraj, has held over 350 exhibitions of his
sculptures in India, Rome, Amsterdam, Cologne, on street pavements,
at trade union offices and organizations of peasants and working
people. Some famous sculptures are 'Charlie
Chaplin', 'Women hold up half the skies', 'The
Hope Sculptures'. His art direction for
"Malgudi Days" the popular TV serial and Kannada feature
films like "Mane" is unique. Creating a village for
"Mahabharatha", a Peter Brooks theatre workshop, illustrating
books, preparing master plans for Bangalore city Metropolitan
Area, organising cultural festivals of art, dance, music, theatre
for the cause of environment and peace are in his repertoire.
He received the State Award for Best Sculpture, 1985.
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