This website allows you to access and explore the diverse creative worlds of a leading Indian contemporary artist, A Ramachandran. Although largely associated with his massive oil paintings akin to murals and sensual female figurations therein, his inimitable style is truly marked by the intricate and often ironic metaphors shown in his paintings, water colors and sculptures; highly stylized human figures and depictions of nature; and luminous jewel-like colors in his paintings similar to those in the temple murals of his native state, Kerala. Among his many intellectual and aesthetic influences have been the Indian classical art traditions and from more recent times, his teachers at Santiniketan (West Bengal, India), including renowned artists from the Bengal school like Nandalal Bose and Ram Kinkar Baij.
Ramachandran has sometimes been cast as a controversial figure in the Indian modern art movement, falsely characterized by few as a ‘neo-revivalist’, ‘anti-modernity’ artist for his visually striking works; liberal yet transformative use of Indian myths; and continued interest in Asian visual traditions. A practicing artist for more than five decades, he has been the recipient of one of the highest civilian honors by the Indian government for his outstanding contribution to the field of Indian art.
This site provides a comprehensive inventory of the artist’s rich repertoire of works – oil paintings, sculptures, water colors, ink and color drawings, miniature paintings, children’s picture book illustrations, stamps, ceramics and writings (on and by the artist). It also provides an entrée into his visual language – modern, contemporary, and yet distinctly Indian. Intended to act as a complete archive of his works, this site will be of interest to researchers on art and art aficionados alike.