Yusuf Arakkal

Arakkal was born in Chavakkad, Kerala. Both his parents died when he was young. Leaving the comforts of his house behind, he left for Bangalore, lonely but with a passion to become a painter. The hardships that he faced at Bangalore honed the artist in him and sharpened his sensibility. He took a diploma in painting from Karnataka Chitrakala Parishat (KCP), Bangalore and later specialized in graphic print making from National Academy community studios, Garhi, Delhi.^[9]

Arakkal received the prestigious Lorenzo De Medici Gold Medal, at Florence Internazionale Biennale, in Florence, Italy for his work Bacon’s Man with the Child and Priest. The artist produced a large collection of miscellaneous works consisting of drawings, paintings, sculptures, murals, paper works, prints and writing.^[10][11]

He won several other awards including Karnataka Lalithkala Academy award in 1979 and 1981, a national award in 1983, a special award at the third Asian Art Biennale Dhaka, Bangladesh in 1986 and the Karnataka Lalithkala Academy honor in 1989.^[12]

Arakkal's paintings expresses the concern for man and society. The style of the painting involves a dark, oppressive background with faceless figures of ordinary people in it, expressing loneliness and despair brought on by a society which are drawn towards material success where ordinary people have no place.

On 4 October 2016, Arakkal died in Bangalore due to a heart attack, at the age of 71.^[13][12]

In his career he exhibited extensively Internationally and in India. He has done many international shows.^[14]

• 1992 - Relays De Monts - Siux, Limousin, France.
• 1993 - Gallerie Taormina Del Arte - Le Havre, France.
• 1994 - Srijana Contemporary Art Gallery - Kathmandu, Nepal.
• 1994 - Art Forum Gallery, Singapore.
• 1996 - Wallace Gallery, Chelsea, New York.
• 1996 - Air Gallery, Dower Street, London.

• 1971 - Indian Artists at Belarus and Moscow.
• 1985 - Thirty contemporary Indian Artists at Habana, Cuba.
• 1985 - Contemporary Indian Art show at the National Museum Mexico City, Mexico.
• 1985 - Second Asian Art show, Fukuoka, Japan.
• 1985 - Indian Printmaking, Festival of India, USA.
• 1986 - Sixth biennale de beau Art, Beaumont, France.
• 1986 - Third Asian Art Biennale, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
• 1986 - Inaugural exhibition of the National Museum of Modern Art, Seoul, South Korea.
• 1986 - Sixth International Triennale, New Delhi, India.
• 1987 - Ninth International Biennale de São Paulo, Brazil.
• 1993 - Nine Indian Artists CCA Gallery, New York.
• 1994 - Indian printmaking show, Maltwood Art Museum & Gallery Victoria, British Columbia.
• 1994 - Indian Contemporary Art Show, Gallery Maya, Hong Kong
• 1995 - Heads and faces - an exhibition by Gallery Maya, Visual Art Centre, Hong Kong.
• 1995 - 'Save the children' auction by Sothebys, Bombay.
• 1996 - Indian Contemporary Art show, Nagai Garo, Tokyo, Japan
• 1996 - 32 Contemporary Indian artists - exhibition and auction by Christies, London.
• 1996 - Women in Indian Art, by The Gallery, Visual Art Centre, Hong Kong.
• 1997 - Auction of Indian Contemporary Art by Christies, London.