M. V. Devan

Madathil Vasudevan, popularly identified as M. V. Devan (15 January 1928 – 29 April 2014), was an Indian painter, sculptor, writer, art critic and orator. Besides his artistic works, he was also known for his architectural designs for a number of cultural institutions as well as for his contributions in founding Kerala Kalapeetom, Kochi-based cultural organization, Malayala Kalagramam, an art village in New Mahe and Kalagramam, another art village in Kollam. A former chairman of the Kerala Lalithakala Akademi, he was a recipient of several honours including the Raja Ravi Varma Puraskaram of the Kerala Lalithakala Akademi, the Vayalar Award and the Mathrubhumi Literary Award.

Biography M. V. Devan was born on January 15, 1928, at Panniyannur, a small village in Thalassery in the south Indian state of Kerala. After completing high school in 1946, he left for Madras to study painting. At Chennai, he joined the Government College of Fine Arts, Chennai where he had the opportunity to study under D. P. Roy Choudhury and K. C. S. Paniker, the then principal and vice principal of the institution. It was during this time itself, he met M. Govindan, who influenced his thinking. Returning to Kerala, he was involved in many artistic, cultural and literary movements, besides his own artistic pursuits.

Devan was married to Sreedevi and the couple had two daughters, Jameela and Shalini. He died on April 29, 2014, at the age of 86, at his residence in Aluva, survived by his daughters; his wife had predeceased him. A year later, he quit the job when the Lalit Kala Akademi, Chennai was established to work as its founder secretary; during his tenure, the academy was a meeting point for the Chennai based artists and this was known to have served as an inspiration for the formation of Cholamandal Artists' Village, of which he was also a founder member. Later, he moved to the New Delhi office of the academy in 1996 for a two year stint and it was during this time he came in touch with M. K. K. Nair, the visionary civil servant, with whom he was involved in the organization of the All India Writers’ Conference in Aluva.

In 1977, Devan was selected as the chairman of the Kerala Lalithakala Akademi, a post he held till 1977. Simultaneously, he ran an architectural design firm, Perunthachan, where he practised environment-friendly cost-effective construction techniques, a pioneering effort much before Laurie Baker popularised the concept in the state; he designed around 450 constructions, which include auditoria, hotels and church. After his tenure with Kerala Lalithakala Akademi ended in 1977, he continued his involvement with the fine arts, literature and cultural activities; the founding of Nadaka Kalari, a theatre group based in Vaikom, in 1967, along with M. Govindan, C. N. Sreekantan Nair, K. S. Narayana Pillai, K. Ayyappa Paniker and G. Sankara Pillai, was one among them.

Devan founded Kerala Kalapeedom, art and cultural centre based in Kochi, in 1978, where several artists such as T. Kaladharan, M. R. D. Dattan, C. N. Karunakaran and Artist Namboothiri; he would also chair the organization later. He was also involved in the founding of two art villages, Malayala Kalagramam, in New Mahe and Kalagramam, in Kollam. Navashakti, Gopuram, Sameeksha, Kerala Kavita and Jwala were some of the literary publications he was associated with. Devan compiled the articles he had published earlier, as an essay anthology, under the title, Devaspandanam, in 2001. followed by the Mathrubhumi Literary Award in 2003. The book would also receive Malayattoor Award later. In between, he received the Raja Ravi Varma Puraskaram of the Kerala Lalithakala Akademi in 2002. He also received the fellowship of the academy as well as the fellowship of the Chennai Lalit Kala Akademi. Binuraj Kalapeedam, one of his students at Kerala Kalapeedam, has made a documentary on the life of Devan, titled Devaspandanam, the title of his award-winning book.