Accompanied by aABOUT Shaji Appukuttan
Shaji Appukuttan’s art delves into geopolitics not merely as spectacle but as an existential imperative, crucial for planetary survival. Ecological footprints mark every corner of our planet, evident in the global crises of climate change and global warming. The Anthropocene’s dominance and the technosphere’s growth have drastically altered nature’s essence, disrupting the biosphere, lithosphere, and atmosphere. These planetary issues continually resonate with Shaji, shaping both the foreground and backdrop of his artworks. For him, the social life of hills, rivers, and forests mirrors human connections, with this relationality echoing throughout his pieces. Shaji studied at the Govt Fine Arts College, Thrissur, Kerala. He has been honored with the Kerala Lalitha kala Akademi State Award in 1992 and the Sidhartha Foundation Award in 2018. He also secured a grant from the Jackson Pollock Krasner Foundation, New York, in 2020-21. His recent solo exhibition, “Ghost trees,” was showcased at Lalithkala Akademi art gallery, Payyannur – Kannur (2023). Shaji curated the group show “Rustic Footmarks” at Durbar Hall Art Center, featuring 29 notable Indian artists. Currently, he resides and works in Ernakulam.
