Wed May 21 13:27:17 UTC 2025: **News Article:**
**”Modepu” Wins Karnataka Lalithakala Academy Book Award for Documenting Coastal Karnataka’s Art History**
**MANGALURU, May 21, 2025** – “Modepu: Contributions of Late Artists to Modern Art – An Introduction,” a publication by Art Kanara Trust, has been honored with the Karnataka Lalithakala Academy Book Award for the year 2022–2023. The book is a landmark achievement in documenting the rich and often overlooked history of visual art in coastal Karnataka.
The publication focuses on the lives and works of 34 artists who significantly shaped the region’s artistic landscape, including notable figures like Pavanje Gopalakrishnaiah, N.G. Pavanje, and Shivarama Karanth. The book is the result of a collaborative effort between Art Kanara Trust, the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) Mangaluru Chapter, and the N.G. Pavanje Chair for Visual Arts of Mangalore University.
The initiative, launched in November 2022, included exhibitions of artworks and archival materials held in Mangaluru and Udupi. Artist Janardhan Havanje researched and authored the 243-page volume, with a foreword by art critic H.A. Anil Kumar, emphasizing the importance of documenting regional art histories. Nemiraj Shetty and Rajendra Kedige, trustees of Art Kanara Trust, served as co-editors, leading the research, structure, design, and editing of the book.
The award ceremony will take place at Ravindra Kalakshetra, Bengaluru, this Friday.
First Piper 