Important Notice

Reji Arackal was born in Wayanad, Kerala, in 1979. He attended the Government College of Fine Arts in Thissur, Kerala, from where he graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in painting. Arackal then obtained his Master’s degree in painting from Visva Bharati University in Santiniketan, where he received merit scholarships in 2005 and 2006. The artist also spent nine months completing an internship at L’Ecole Nationale Superieure Beaux-Arts,...
Reji Arackal was born in Wayanad, Kerala, in 1979. He attended the Government College of Fine Arts in Thissur, Kerala, from where he graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in painting. Arackal then obtained his Master’s degree in painting from Visva Bharati University in Santiniketan, where he received merit scholarships in 2005 and 2006. The artist also spent nine months completing an internship at L’Ecole Nationale Superieure Beaux-Arts, Paris, on a Krishnakriti Fellowship from the French Embassy in India.

Given that the artist was born and raised in an agrarian society and culture in Kerala, Arackal frequently draws on Nature as the main subject in his works, denounces all the injustices that it has suffered at the hands of humans. His paintings tackle issues such as pollution, degradation of land, deforestation and the exploitation of the natural world by man. In order to express these concerns, Arackal uses distorted and surreal landscapes, often painted with unreal tones which aim to underline the distance and misunderstanding between man and Nature. Calling his paintings ‘devotional songs’, Arackal highlights the importance of Nature and tries to stimulate his audience to respect and protect it more. However, in his works he simultaneously uses bitter and ironic elements to emphasize the tough reality of the transience of life which is becoming even shorter due to our destructive tendencies.

In his paintings, Arackal mainly uses mixed media, charcoal, dry pastel and oils. The artist has already exhibited in different solo and group shows in India and at an international level. His solo exhibitions include ‘Devotional Signs’ at Kerala Lalit Kala Akademi, Thissur, in 2004; and ‘Clouds’ at Kerala Lalit Kala Akademi, Calicut, in 2005. The group exhibitions in which his works have been featured include ‘Hybrid Trends’ at Seoul Art Centre, Korea, in 2006; ‘Pratiti’ at Birla Art Gallery, Kolkata, in 2006; ‘Open Eyed Dreams’, Mumbai, in 2006; the Central Lalit Kala Akademi National Exhibition at Modern Art Gallery, Mumbai, in 2006; and the International Print Exhibition of Art & Photography at Durbar Hall, Kochi, in 2005.

Arackal has also participated in several art camps among which feature the Kerala Lalit Kala Akademi North Zone Painting Camp, Mahe, in 2006; the National Artist Meet organized by Open Eyed Dreams, Wayanad, in 2006, and the National Students Art Camp, Jamia Milia Islamia University, New Delhi, in 2006.

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