‘Modepu’ – Art Kanara Trust’s book on coastal art history wins Karnataka Lalithakala Academy Award

‘Modepu’ – Art Kanara Trust’s book on coastal art history wins Karnataka Lalithakala Academy Award

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, May 21, 2025: Modepu: Contributions of Late Artists to Modern Art – An Introduction, a landmark publication by Art Kanara Trust, has been selected for the Karnataka Lalithakala Academy Book Award for the year 2022–2023. The book captures the rich and nuanced history of coastal Karnataka’s visual art movement, with a special focus on the contributions of artists and pioneers of the past, whose legacies have often remained overlooked.

It meticulously documents the lives and works of 34 artists, including Pavanje Gopalakrishnaiah, N.G. Pavanje, Shivarama Karanth, K.K. Hebbar, L.K. Shevgoor, B.G. Mohammad, L.P. Anchan, P.P. Karanth, G.S. Shenoy, Ramadas Adyanthaya, Mohan Sona, among others.

 

 

 

The book was the culmination of a major curatorial initiative jointly organized in November 2022 by Art Kanara Trust and the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) Mangaluru Chapter, in collaboration with the N.G. Pavanje Chair for Visual Arts of Mangalore University. The initiative featured exhibitions of artworks and archival material of all 34 artists, held at the Kodialguthu Center for Art & Culture in Mangaluru and Drishti Art Gallery in Udupi, with the support of Artists’ Forum.

A 243-page volume was subsequently published in February 2023. The book’s text was authored by artist Dr. Janardhan Havanje, with an insightful foreword by acclaimed art critic H.A. Anil Kumar, who emphasized the significance of documenting regional art histories as meaningful alternatives to dominant mainstream narratives.

A 243-page volume was subsequently published in February 2023. The book was researched and authored by artist Dr. Janardhan Havanje, with an insightful foreword by acclaimed art critic H.A. Anil Kumar, who emphasized the significance of documenting regional art histories as meaningful alternatives to dominant mainstream narratives.

The research, structure, design and editing for Modepu were led by noted art historian Nemiraj Shetty and artist Rajendra Kedige, both trustees of Art Kanara Trust, who served as co-editors. Harish Kodialbail and Reshma S. Shetty played a key role in organizing the exhibitions and coordinating the publication. Subhash Chandra Basu, INTACH convener and President of Art Kanara Trust, provided guidance and valuable feedback throughout the publication process. The publication was supported by Shenoy Art Foundation, Bengaluru.

The Karnataka Lalithakala Academy Award will be officially conferred during a felicitation ceremony scheduled to be held on May 23 at Ravindra Kalakshetra, Bengaluru.