Contemporary artist C Douglas and sculptor NN Rimzon have been chosen for Keralam’s Raja Ravi Varma Awards for 2023 and 2024 respectively, the state government announced in Thiruvananthapuram. Tourism, Culture and Cinema Minister PC Vishnunath made the announcement at a press conference.
The Raja Ravi Varma Award is Keralam’s highest honour in the visual arts, recognising sustained and outstanding contribution to painting, sculpture and contemporary art practice. Each award comprises a cash prize of Rs 3 lakh, a citation and a sculpture designed by renowned artist Kanayi Kunhiraman.
C Douglas: 2023 Award
C Douglas, born in Thalassery in 1951, is a prominent Indian artist associated with the Madras Art Movement. The jury selected him for the 2023 award, citing his humanist outlook and an artistic language that moves beyond regional and stylistic boundaries.
Douglas’s practice is known for its layered surfaces, textural materiality and contemplative engagement with memory, landscape and the human condition. The 2023 jury was chaired by senior artist P Gopinath, with R Shanthamani, Dr CS Jayaram, TV Santhosh and member secretary Raji R Pillai on the panel.
NN Rimzon: 2024 Award
Sculptor NN Rimzon, born in Kakkoor in Ernakulam district in 1957, has been selected for the 2024 award for his contribution to sculpture and contemporary art. His work spans sculpture, installation, painting and drawing, drawing on minimalist and conceptual approaches.
Rimzon taught sculpture at the College of Fine Arts, Thiruvananthapuram, for several years and served as its principal from 2011 to 2014. The 2024 jury was chaired by artist Pushpamala N and included R Nandakumar, Surendran Nair and member secretary Raji R Pillai.
A Recognition of Kerala’s Visual Arts Legacy
The announcement brings together two significant figures from different generations and mediums: Douglas, whose painting practice has been central to post-independence Indian modernism, and Rimzon, whose sculptural and installation work has helped shape contemporary art discourse in Kerala.
The awards, named after the celebrated Kerala-born painter Raja Ravi Varma, reinforce the state’s institutional commitment to honouring artists whose work has had lasting cultural and artistic impact.
Contributor
