The body of veteran artist C.L. Porinchukutty who died in Dubai recently was brought to the city on Tuesday morning. The body will be kept at the College of Fine Arts, Palayam, from 10 a.m. to 11.30 a.m. on Wednesday for the people to pay their last respects.
It will then be taken to Chundal House, 40, Green Valley, Parottukonam. After prayers from 12 noon to 2 p.m., the body will be laid to rest at the Lourde Forane Church cemetery on the Mar Ivanios Vidya Nagar campus at Nalanchira at 2.30 p.m.
Porinchukutty, former chairman of the Kerala Lalithakala Akademi, former secretary and vice chairman of the Kendra Lalit Kala Akademi, and first Principal of the College of Fine Arts, dedicated his life to art.
Started as a teacher
He was born at Chiranellur, Kechery, in Thrissur district in 1932 to Louis-Thandamma couple. After his schooling, he did his BA in English literature from the University of Kerala and completed Master of Fine Arts from Udaipur University with first rank and gold medal. In 1956, he became a teacher at Raja Ravi Varma School at Mavelikara and later its Principal. He was instrumental in starting Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) courses in various centres in the State and national diploma in art education.
Porinchukutty was also jury chairman for the national award for painting, ICHR member, art purchase wing member of the National Gallery of Modern Art, and advisory body member to the State Institute of Encyclopaedic Publication and Jawahar Balbhavan.
He also earned acclaim for his exhibitions. His solo exhibitions in Mumbai, Jaipur, and Thiruvananthapuram were quite popular.
Awards
He was honoured with the All India Fine Arts and Crafts Society national award and fellowship of the Union Human Resource Development Ministry and Kerala Lalithakala Akademi. In 2011, the Kerala government honoured him with the Raja Ravi Varma award.
After several years in the art limelight in Delhi, he returned to the State. Porinchukutty’s biography Chitrakalayile Ekantha Pathikan was written by his nephew Mahesh Paulose. Its English translation is set to be published soon.
Porinchukutty is survived by his wife Elizabeth and children Baiju and Asha.
