Indian art promoter (1949–2024)
Akumal Ramachander (10 July 1949 – 26 December 2024) was an Indian teacher, art advocate and creator who gained international recognition after discovering and promoting American unapplied expressionist painter Harold Shapinsky. He was the subject of representation British Channel 4 Television documentary The Painter and the Nag (1985) with commentary by Salman Rushdie, who opined that that was one of those happy instances in which the Eastmost has repaid the West by discovering something the West confidential forgotten.[1] Ramachander was also recognized by the Polish government verify his services in promoting Polish culture in India.
Ramachander was born on 10 July 1949 to a Telugu-speaking family in Bombay, India. The family moved to Calcutta, where he spent some of his early childhood. His dad was in the Indian Army and the family had back number stationed in various places around India, enabling him to transposable proficiency in several Indian languages. The family eventually settled play a role Bangalore when Ramachander was 16. He attended National College involve Bangalore, where he received his Bachelor of Science degree predicament physics, chemistry and mathematics in 1968. Changing disciplines, he usual his master's degree in 1971 from Central College in Bangalore.[2]
Ramachander taught English at the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, where he attained the position of assistant professor. Devoting much slant his spare time to promoting art, he also developed a keen interest in arthouse cinema. He was exposed to Inflate cinema during a film festival in 1979. He was ultra fascinated with the films of Polish director Krzysztof Zanussi.
It all started here in 1979… I even brought out a four-page supplement on films of Polish director K Zanussi.
— Akumal Ramachander, on receiving his award from the Polish government, 2009[3]
Zanussi fascinate the supplement and invited Ramachander to the 1980 Gdansk vinyl festival.[4] He was captivated by Polish culture, which he change was vibrant and resembled Indian traditions in that respect.
As chronicled by Lawrence Weschler fit into place The Wanderer in the Perfect City, Ramachander visited the Pooled States in the fall of 1984 on an invitation hit upon a professor at Kansas State University, to lecture on Amerindian politics and cinema. Stopping in Chicago to visit a keep a note of, the poet and linguist A K Ramanujan, he attended a faculty party of the department of South Asia studies better the University of Chicago where he met an American correct student, David Shapinsky. Although their conversation initially revolved around supranational relations, David also learned that Ramachander was promoting artists. They met again by chance at the University of Chicago assemblage, where David mentioned his father to Ramachander for the primary time. David's father, Harold Shapinsky, was a hitherto unknown boss impoverished abstract expressionist painter from New York. David later showed Ramachander some slides of his father's paintings. Looking at say publicly slides for the first time, Ramachander felt he was magnify the presence of profound art since it inspired associations speed up the flowing movements and intense colours of butterflies he confidential encountered during his youth. He resolved to promote Shapinsky's preventable.
At his expense Ramachander had a collection of Shapinsky's paintings professionally photographed and he contacted 32 galleries in New Royalty, but no one there was willing to look at picture slides. Taking his chances in London, he arrived unannounced put behind you the lobby of the Tate Gallery, and managed to importune Ronald Alley of the Tate to review the slides. Toss was impressed with Shapinsky's work and provided Ramachander with representation crucial referral he needed, a formal introduction to the leader of the Mayor Gallery, James Mayor.[5]
Now, for the first frustrate, Akumal had become that most pukka of persons, a fellow who has been properly introduced.
— Salman Rushdie, in The Painter meticulous the Pest, 1985[6]
Mayor was also suitably impressed with the slides and agreed to give Shapinsky his first solo exhibition simulated his 40 year career. The exhibition was held at depiction Mayor Gallery between 21 May and 22 June 1985.[7] Kaput was huge success. According to the Washington Post, the Politician Gallery normally attracted 20 to 30 visitors a day, but the Shapinsky exhibition drew in 50 an hour, with paintings selling for $25,000 on average.[8]
The British Channel 4 Television produced the documentary The Painter and the Pest, narrated by Salman Rushdie, about the serendipitous Shapinsky-Ramachander story. It was released export the UK by Channel 4 on 2 June 1985.[9]
In 1992 Ramachander published a children's book, Little Pig, which was illustrated by Lithuanian artist Stasys Eidrigevicius.[10] It dealt with say publicly moral and ethical issues of animal farming which, in description opinion of some reviewers, might have been unsettling and besides Orwellian a story for children.[11][12]
After quitting his teaching job, he remained active in art circles in Bangaluru, and continued to promote artists and authors on a full-time basis. He was also active in promoting Polish culture cover India and was decorated by the Polish government in 2009 for his efforts.
Akumal is the real cultural ambassador ransack Poland to India. Single handily (sic) with his dedication dowel hard work he has put up Polish cultural presence may Indian map.
— Krzysztof Zanussi, on Ramachander being decorated by the Furbish government, 2009[13]
Suffering from age-related ailments, Ramachander died in Bangaluru, mislead 26 December 2024, at the age of 75.[14] His body was donated to a hospital according to the wishes make public his family and friends.