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Madathil Vasudevan, popularly known as M. V. Devan is one of those rare personlaities from Kerala, who has made his mark as a painter, sculptor, writer and an orator. Truly multifaceted, M. V. Devan hails from the village of Panniyannur in Thalassery, which is in the District of Kannur in north Kerala.
M. V. Devan started his artistic pursuits at the age of 10 through painting, which could be said as a trait inherited from his father. Following his high school education, the young Devan left for
Madras (currently Chennai) in 1946 to formally learn painting. He learned the basics of painting at the Chennai Govt. School of Arts and Crafts. Madras was then the playground of eminent artists like Mr. D. P. Roy Choudhary and Mr. K. C. S. Panicker one of the great names in painting from Kerala. Devan made use of their presence in Madras and he often interacted with them to discover the unknown realms in painting.
Bidding goodbye to Madras, back home in Kerala, M. V. Devan joined one of the publications by the Mathrubhumi group as illustrator. The short stint with ?Mathrubhumi? (1952-61) saw Devan giving life to many characters that featured in the several novels and short stories published by Mathrubhumi. For a brief period after leaving his job with Mathrubhumi, Devan went back to Madras and worked for ?Southern Languages Book Trust? as art consultant.
Devan continued his artistic pursuits with Madras Lalita Kala Academy and with Central Lalita Kala Academy, New Delhi during the period spanning from 1962-68. Back home, Devan also worked as art consultant for FACT during the same period.
Even though the initial passion of Devan towards an art was with painting, he soon started exploring his interests in other avenues. Devan soon discovered that he could strike a harmonious chord with sculpting, philosophy, literature and oratory. It was while working at FACT that Devan got more involved with sculptures. Devan does not have any sort of training in sculpting, yet his deft fingers created outstanding figurines in the past twenty to thirty years. A humanist to the core, one example for this is Devan?s contribution to the design of Trappistine Monastery in Kerala. A beautiful eight-sided chapel, which was a balance between complementary opposites with mountain and cave, light and dark, male and female and so forth. He is also credited for his architectural acumen behind the construction of several types of buildings in Kerala.
The multifaceted Devan also found time to adorn the garb of an art critic, which he did quite well. He has critically evaluated several works as well as the art scenario of Kerala through his many columns and speeches. Devan?s observations and critical evaluations were later compiled and published by Dr. P.V. Krishnan Nair. The book also diligently brings out Devan?s clarity of thought and his philosophy of life.
His unparalleled love for art forms eventually led him to the establishment of ?Kerala Kalapeedom? at Ernakulam. Devan did this with an aim to bring art forms of his liking under one roof. A similar venture saw an inspired Devan starting the ?Malayala Kalagramom? in Mahe which in comparison to Kerala Kalapeedom was a grand affair. The centre supports study programmes in literature, music, dance, painting, sculpture, vastukala (traditional architecture) and also for all other art forms. On the literary front, Devan has associated with literary publications like Navashakti, Gopuram, Sameeksha, Kerala Kavita and Jwala.
For the past several years, Devan spends his time between Kerala and Tamil Nadu, contributing his mite for the betterment of the new and upcoming artists. The State of Tamil Nadu had its Lalita Kala Academi started in 1954 with M. V. Devan as the first secretary.
M. V. Devan during his illustrious life as a multifaceted artist has held offices of responsibility. These include Chairman of Kerala Lalit Kala Academy, Director of Malayala Kalagramam, Mahe, Secretary, Tamil Nadu Lalita Kala Academi and Editor of Kaladarpanam.
Honours and recognitions that were bestowed on M. V. Devan include the prestigious Raja Ravi Varma award of the Kerala Government, Fellowship of Kerala Lalita Kala Academy, Fellowship of Chennai Lalita Kala Academy, Vayalar Award, Malayatoor Fine Arts Award for his contribution to the growth of fine arts, Critics Award and M.K.K. Nair Award.
Kerala is indeed blessed to have a talent of M. V. Devan?s caliber and his contemporaries as well as the new generation are fortunate to have him amidst them to be looked upon as a role model, especially in the field of fine arts.
Address
Mr. M. V. Devan
Choorni
Aluva ? 683101
Kerala
