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Made Initial Entry W/ Sources

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{{Short description|Indian photographer and visual artist (born 1975)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2022}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2022 }}
{{Infobox person
| name = K. R. Sunil
| image =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1975}}
| birth_place = [[Kodungallur, Thrissur]], Kerala
| occupation = {{hlist|Photographer|visual artist| writer}}
| spouse =
| children =
| awards =
| website = {{URL|krsunil.com}}
}}

'''K. R. Sunil''' (born 1975) is an Indian [[documentary photographer]], visual artist, 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.<ref>{{cite web|author=kavitha }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Menon|first=Anasuya|date=29 July 2017|title=The documenter of the unremarkable|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/society/the-documenter-of-the-unremarkable/article19384545.ece|access-date=2022-02-10|issn=0971-751X}}</ref>

==Early life==
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.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Menon|first=Anasuya|date=17 March 2016|title=Life beyond the lens|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/society/on-kr-sunil-winner-of-the-habitat-photosphere-award/article8365495.ece|access-date=2022-02-10|issn=0971-751X}}</ref>

==Career==
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|date=April 2024}}. 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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thewire.in/the-arts/k-r-sunil-kerala-photography-fisherfolk-chavittu-naadakam|title=The Alter-Vision: K.R. Sunil Captures a Certain Kerala|website=The Wire}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/art/kr-sunil-kochi-muziris-biennale-chavittu-nadakam-artistes-chellanam-kerala-rising-sea-levels-a-boiling-vessel-aazhi-archives-photographer-mattancherry/article66233714.ece|title=Kings and climate change | K.R. Sunil photographs Chavittu Nadakam artistes in Kerala who are facing rising sea levels|first=Anasuya|last=Menon|newspaper=The Hindu |date=15 December 2022|via=www.thehindu.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Kochi Muziris Biennale has created a conducive environment for these art photographers|url=https://www.indulgexpress.com/culture/art/2018/jun/29/kochi-muziris-biennale-has-created-a-conducive-environment-for-these-art-photographers-8483.html|access-date=2022-02-10|website=www.indulgexpress.com|date=29 June 2018 |language=en}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/videos/entertainment/events/kochi/showcasing-the-seafarers-of-malabar/videoshow/68255193.cms|title = Showcasing the seafarers of Malabar | Entertainment – Times of India Videos|website = [[The Times of India]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thefederal.com/features/photographers-journey-to-get-madurai-youth-who-lost-his-legs-back-on-feet/|title = Photographer's journey to get Madurai youth who lost his legs back on feet|date = 11 November 2021}}</ref>
He has published his books Manchukkar: The Seafarers of Malabar(2021), Velichappadum Pokkattadikkarum(2025)

==Filmography==
{| class="wikitable"
! Year !! Title !! Notes
|-
| 2025 || ''[[Thudarum]]''|| Screenwriter
|}

==Vanishing Life Worlds (2016)==
The series was exhibited at the [[Kochi-Muziris Biennale]] in 2016.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Mathew|first=Nidhi|date=12 January 2017|title=The people of Ponnani|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/art/The-people-of-Ponnani/article17028658.ece|access-date=2022-02-10|issn=0971-751X}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=|date=16 March 2017|title=Mumbai-based architect lauds diversity of artworks at Biennale | Kochi News – Times of India|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kochi/mumbai-based-architect-lauds-diversity-of-artworks-at-biennale/articleshow/57661738.cms|publisher=Timesofindia.indiatimes.com|access-date=2022-02-09}}</ref>

==Chronicle of a Disappearance (2016)==
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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/kochi/2017/Nov/28/disappearing-ponds-1713196.html|title = Disappearing ponds – the New Indian Express| date=November 2017 }}</ref>

==Mattancherry (2017)==
The series was exhibited at the Uru Art Harbour, Kochi in 2017, curated by Riyas Komu.<ref>{{cite web|last=Manu|first=Meera|date=14 August 2017|title=Mattancherry is reborn through Uru|url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/lifestyle/viral-and-trending/140817/mattancherry-is-reborn-through-uru.html|publisher=Deccanchronicle.com|access-date=2022-02-09}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Venkiteswaran|first=C.S.|date=1 October 2017|title=A place by the sea: A show celebrates Matancherry, Kochi's historical neighbourhood |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/art-and-culture/a-place-by-the-sea-a-show-celebrates-matancherry-kochis-historical-neighbourhood-4868676/|publisher=Indianexpress.com|access-date=2022-02-09}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.architecturaldigest.in/content/kochi-biennale-foundation-fundraising-auction/ |title=Kochi Biennale banks on Sher-Gil, Sundaram for fundraising auction effort | Architectural Digest India |publisher=Architecturaldigest.in |date=23 October 2017 |access-date=2022-02-09}}</ref>

==Manchukkar- The Seafarers of Malabar (2018)==
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.<ref>{{Cite news|last=|first=|date=8 January 2020|title=Documenting lives and travels of Khalāsis|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/documenting-lives-and-travels-of-khalsis/article30517075.ece|access-date=2022-02-10|issn=0971-751X}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Thiyyadi|first=Sreevalsan|date=13 April 2019|title=Meet the forgotten dhow men of Malabar|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/society/meet-the-forgotten-dhow-men-of-malabar/article26820920.ece/photo/1/|access-date=2022-02-10|issn=0971-751X}}</ref>

==Home (2020)==
The series was exhibited at Lokame Tharavadu (The World is One Family), Alapuzha in 2021, which was curated by [[Bose Krishnamachari]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thefederal.com/the-eighth-column/in-kerala-the-sea-is-washing-away-hopes-homes-and-all-memories/|title = In Kerala, the sea is washing away hopes, homes and all memories|date = 20 December 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://aphotoeditor.com/2020/08/25/the-daily-edit-kr-sunil-vanishing-home/amp/|title = The Daily Edit – KR Sunil: Vanishing Home| work=A Photo Editor |date = 25 August 2020}}</ref>

==Chavittu Nadakam – Storytellers of the Seashore (2022)==
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]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/political-pulse/riders-adani-port-coastal-community-8427480/|title=Riders to the sea: Why an Adani port adds to worry of the coastal community|date=6 February 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/voices/for-six-hours-we-were-kings-and-queens/|title='For six hours we were kings and queens'|first=Anantha Narayanan|last=K|newspaper=The Times of India }}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7eIHCGE37A Vanishing Life Worlds - KR Sunil I Kochi-Muziris Biennale 2016]
* [https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kochi/mumbai-based-architect-lauds-diversity-of-artworks-at-biennale/articleshow/57661738.cms Mumbai-based architect lauds diversity of artworks at Biennale]
* [https://www.architecturaldigest.in/content/kochi-biennale-foundation-fundraising-auction Kochi Biennale banks on Sher-Gil, Sundaram for fundraising auction effort]
* [https://www.ayurvedajournals.com/article/kr-sunil-seafarers-of-malabar-interview MANCHUKKAR - THE SEAFARERS OF MALABAR]
* [https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kochi/capturing-the-colours-of-history-in-black-and-white/articleshow/56421010.cms Capturing the colours of history in black and white]
* [https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/galleries-come-alive-again-with-kochi-art-week/article37980002.ece Galleries come alive again with Kochi Art Week]
* [https://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/forced-to-stay-put-due-to-the-lockdown-indian-photographers-are-finding-new-ways-to-capture-the-play-of-light-in-their-households-as-well-as-in-empty-streets/article31502159.ece COVID-19: What are homebound photographers doing during the lockdown?]
* [https://aphotoeditor.com/2020/08/25/the-daily-edit-kr-sunil-vanishing-home The Daily Edit – KR Sunil: Vanishing Home]
* [https://chimeinthevoid.com/2020/04/23/manchukkaru-by-k-r-sunil Manchukkaru by K.R.Sunil]
* [http://ala.keralascholars.org/issues/26/meena-bharani-red-devotion]
{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sunil, KR}}
[[Category:1975 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Interdisciplinary artists]]
[[Category:Artists from Kerala]]
[[Category:Indian contemporary artists]]
[[Category:Indian multimedia artists]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian artists]]
[[Category:Indian photographers]]

K. R. Sunil - Revision history

MalissaHardaway: Made Initial Entry W/ Sources