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K. R. Sunil

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K. R. Sunil
Born1975 (age 48–49)
Kodungallur, Thrissur, Kerala
Occupations
  • Photographer
  • writer
Websitekrsunil.com

K. R. Sunil (born 1975) is an Indian documentary photographer and writer from Kerala. In 1997, he won Kerala Lalithakala Akademi's Special Mention Award for painting. In 2016, he won Habitat Photosphere Award from India Habitat Centre for photography.[1][2]

Early life

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Sunil hails from Kodungallur, Kerala, India. He earned his bachelor's degree in sculpture from the College of Fine Arts, Thrissur, where he discovered his passion for photography. His friend, photographer Krishna Kumar, introduced him to the art of photography. Sunil spent hours in the library, poring over issues of National Geographic magazine, which he considers his "bible". According to him, he learned photography more through observation and believes that formal technical education is not essential.[3]

Career

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Sunil's work primarily focuses on human life; often ethnographic portrayals set against the backdrop of social and environmental issues. The recurring themes in his art documentation include the sea, maritime history, and climate change. The powerful, investigative representation of common people's struggles in a complex society through his work intents to inspire social change and bring attention to important issues. Sunil has received multiple awards for his series on various socio-relevant topics. For instance, his series titled 'Chronicle of a Disappearance,' which explored the dwindling ponds of Kerala, won him the India Habitat Photosphere Award in 2016 [citation needed]. His 'Vanishing Life Worlds' series, which depicted the lives of the old port city of Ponnani, was exhibited at the Kochi Muziris Biennale in 2016. Additionally, his 'Manchukkar - The Seafarers of Malabar' series, which documented the last surviving group of dhow workers along the Malabar coast, was exhibited at the Uru Art Harbour in Kochi in 2018 and at the Clarinda Carnegie Art Museum, USA in 2021, while also getting printed by a Swiss publication the same year. Sunil's series 'Home' explores the impact of climate change on coastal homes and livelihoods. It was part of exhibitions by the Kochi Muziris Biennale Foundation at Kochi and Alappey in 2021. Furthermore, his photography series titled 'Chavittu Nadakam: Story Tellers of the Seashore' sheds light on the lives of Dalit Christian performers of the age-old art form Chavittu Nadakam and how climate change affects them.[4][5][6] He has participated in the curatorial exhibition of Mattancherry by artist and curator Riyas Komu. Mattancherry photography series gazes the subaltern livelihood with a concrete ethnographic document to the contemporary cultural historiography Kerala. Mattancherry Island is a major hub of many waves of sea root connections from various parts of the world.[7][8]

Vanishing Life Worlds (2016)

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The series was exhibited at the Kochi-Muziris Biennale in 2016.[9][10]

Chronicle of a Disappearance (2016)

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The series was exhibited at the India Habitat Centre Delhi in 2016, curated by Alka Pandey, and at RMIT Gallery, Melbourne in 2017, which was curated by Suzanne Davies & Helen Reyment.[11]

Mattancherry (2017)

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The series was exhibited at the Uru Art Harbour, Kochi in 2017, curated by Riyas Komu.[12][13][14]

Manchukkar- The Seafarers of Malabar (2018)

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The series was exhibited at the Uru Art Harbour, Kochi in 2017, curated by Riyas Komu, and at the Clarinda Carnegie Art Museum, USA| 2021 | Curated by Karen and Robert Duncan. Furthermore, Kunstdepot Göschenen, Switzerland published the series as a catalog in 2021.[15][16]

Home (2020)

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The series was exhibited at Lokame Tharavadu (The World is One Family), Alapuzha in 2021, which was curated by Bose Krishnamachari[17][18]

Chavittu Nadakam – Storytellers of the Seashore (2022)

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The series narrated multiple dimensions of performers of Chavittu Nadakam, a regional art form that originated and exists primarily in the coastal strip between Kochi and Kodungallur in Kerala. Influenced by the Portuguese colonization era, the art form had been embraced and carried on by the Latin Christian community from as early as the 16th and 17th centuries. While these artists are enduring to keep this art form alive today, they are also faced with a constant threat of sea encroachment and waterlogging as a result of climate change, that is making their lives all the more difficult. The series was exhibited at Kashi Hallegua House in Kochi in 2022 as part of the show ‘Sea – A Boiling Vessel’ curated by Riyas Komu.[19][20]

References

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  1. ^ kavitha (11 November 2021). "Photographer's journey to get Madurai youth who lost his legs back on feet". The Federal. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  2. ^ Menon, Anasuya (29 July 2017). "The documenter of the unremarkable". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 10 February 2022.
  3. ^ Menon, Anasuya (17 March 2016). "Life beyond the lens". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 10 February 2022.
  4. ^ "The Alter-Vision: K.R. Sunil Captures a Certain Kerala". The Wire.
  5. ^ Menon, Anasuya (15 December 2022). "Kings and climate change | K.R. Sunil photographs Chavittu Nadakam artistes in Kerala who are facing rising sea levels". The Hindu – via www.thehindu.com.
  6. ^ "Kochi Muziris Biennale has created a conducive environment for these art photographers". www.indulgexpress.com. Retrieved 10 February 2022.
  7. ^ "Showcasing the seafarers of Malabar | Entertainment – Times of India Videos". The Times of India.
  8. ^ "Photographer's journey to get Madurai youth who lost his legs back on feet". 11 November 2021.
  9. ^ Mathew, Nidhi (12 January 2017). "The people of Ponnani". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 10 February 2022.
  10. ^ "Mumbai-based architect lauds diversity of artworks at Biennale | Kochi News – Times of India". Timesofindia.indiatimes.com. 16 March 2017. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  11. ^ "Disappearing ponds – the New Indian Express".
  12. ^ Manu, Meera (14 August 2017). "Mattancherry is reborn through Uru". Deccanchronicle.com. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  13. ^ Venkiteswaran, C.S. (1 October 2017). "A place by the sea: A show celebrates Matancherry, Kochi's historical neighbourhood". Indianexpress.com. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  14. ^ "Kochi Biennale banks on Sher-Gil, Sundaram for fundraising auction effort | Architectural Digest India". Architecturaldigest.in. 23 October 2017. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  15. ^ "Documenting lives and travels of Khalāsis". The Hindu. 8 January 2020. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 10 February 2022.
  16. ^ Thiyyadi, Sreevalsan (13 April 2019). "Meet the forgotten dhow men of Malabar". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 10 February 2022.
  17. ^ "In Kerala, the sea is washing away hopes, homes and all memories". 20 December 2021.
  18. ^ "The Daily Edit – KR Sunil: Vanishing Home". 25 August 2020.
  19. ^ "Riders to the sea: Why an Adani port adds to worry of the coastal community". 6 February 2023.
  20. ^ K, Anantha Narayanan. "'For six hours we were kings and queens'". The Times of India.
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