Shanta Prasad Award for excellence in craft 2007
Shri V Nagarajan is a third-generation mastercraftsperson who has won nation-wide awards and accolades for his mastery of the craft of Tanjore Paintings..While recognizing the need to evolve and develop the art to sustain the interest of the widening market-base,Shri Nagarajan has never veered from the fundamentals of the craft tradition which is enshrined in ancient texts,as precise and exact as the'shilpa sastra.But he has innovated too and has presented the paintings in three-dimensional form as compared to the usual two-dimensional ones.He has also insisted on using good quality teak wood as the base to ensure that the paintings last for generations.His paintings range from palm-sized to 100-square-foot masterpieces.He is particularly known for his large painting depicting the 108 karnas of Shiva's dance.A few of his paintings form part of collections of art connoisseurs in London and other places.A winner of numerous awards from the State and Central Governments,Shri Nagarajan has established his studio and workshop,'Rajarajan'in Kottaiyur,Chettinad in Tamil Nadu where he encourages young craftspersons,providing them with employment and training.
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