A global recognition comes calling

KOCHI: “If given a chance, I would want to be reborn a painter,” said Pradeep Puthoor who recently won the Jackson Pollock Fellowship. This is the second time the artist is being awarded the fellowship, instituted by the Pollock Krasner Foundation, headquartered in New York. The fellowship is named after abstract expressionist painter Jackson Pollock. “Winning the fellowship twice is a great honour and responsibility,” he said.

The artist speaks about his initial years when he started out as an artist. “I used to paint on the walls since my childhood. My father noticed my talent and encouraged me by buying colours and materials so that I could draw to my heart’s content,” said the 44-year-old artist. 

 He was just 13 years when he received the Shanker’s International Painting Competition prize.It was this interest which spiralled him towards the arts. Soon, he joined the College of Fine Arts, Thiruvananthapuram and passed the course with flying colours. “After my studies, I began to focus more on paintings. I travelled across India and exhibited my work across metro cities in India,” said Pradeep. He has also exhibited his paintings in overseas galleries including the UK, USA, Germany, Italy and Switzerland.

It was, however, his painting titled ‘Mangled mother’ which won global recognition including the British Royal Overseas League’s ‘Overseas Award’. It was my intention, through this piece of art, to address the situation of motherhood in rural India. “The same had caught the attention of a global audience and was exhibited in different venues in Europe,” she said.Pradeep says many factors, including touch and smell, inspires the artist in him. “I feel proud of being able to express my ideas in a different perspective,” said Pradeep who follows the semi-figurative abstract style which can address contemporary issues in a powerful way. 

According to Pradeep, artists including Francis Bacon, Anselm Kiefer, Pablo Picasso, Henry Rousseau and Joan have influenced his paintings.He has a word of advice to young artists who are trying to find their footing. “Painting is a good medium to address a lot of things in the biotic and abiotic world. It changes the conventional perspectives and makes the world more livable and habitable. Learn to view more works, visit museums, galleries and other masters works,” he said.

The artist received the Lalit Kala Akademi  National Award for the painting titled ‘Air Airy’ in 1992 at the age of 27. He received the junior research fellowship in painting from Ministry of Culture, Govt of India In 1993. In the year 2002, he received the state award for his painting titled ‘Father’s hamlet on a full moon day’. 

In 2005, Pradeep represented India in Florence Biennale, Italy and was honoured with a diploma in painting. He visited Germany with a scholarship and exhibited works in Berlin and Potsdam in 2006. 
The biggest auction house Christie’s London auctioned his painting titled ‘My beloved tiger’. He has also received Senior Fellowship from Ministry of Culture in 2008, Govt of India.