Description

Tom Vattakuzhy (b.1967) is an Indian painter from Muvattapuzha, Ernakulam district Kerala.

Tom had a penchant for art from a very early age.  He obtained a diploma from a local art school in his hometown and started his career as an illustrator. He illustrated novels of eminent authors like M. T Vasudevan Nair, P. Padmarajan and C. Radhakrishnan. His illustrations featured in magazines like Bhashaposhini, Matrubhumi  and Aithihyamala.

In 1991, he enrolled at the Kala Bhavan, Santiniketan and completed his bachelor’s degree in printmaking in 1996 followed by a masters’ degree at the Faculty of Fine Arts, M. S. U Baroda in 1998. During the course of his education, he had close interactions with artists like Somnath Hore and K. G. Subramanyan which became the fulcrum of his artistic journey and visual vocabulary.

Tom’s paintings are known for his masterful use of chiaroscuro. His subjects often depict scenes and characters from a familiar world around him. His use of light effects imbues a mystical and ethereal quality to his compositions.

He has won several awards during his career like the AIFACS award. (1997, 1998), the Kerala Lalit Kala Academy award and the Haren Das award(Academy of fine Arts,  Kolkata) among others.