Kanu Desai, born Kanhaiyalal Hukumatrai Desai (12 March 1907 – 9 December 1980), was an Indian artist, illustrator, and pioneering art director of the twentieth century whose works have been widely appreciated and recognized for their decorative, lyrical, and sentimental qualities. The artist grew up in Bharuch, Bombay Presidency, British India, but, after his parents died, he was sent to Ahmedabad to be fostered by his maternal uncle. The latter decided to nurture Kanu’s creative talents, resulting in young Desai’s enrollment at the Santiniketan Government College of Art under Ravishankar Raval and Nandalal Bose. At that time, the future art director was heavily influenced by the Bengal School of Art and Rabindranath Tagore’s philosophy. Kanu Desai became actively involved in the Indian independence movement, taking part in the 1930 Salt March alongside Gandhi. Using his drawing and watercolor skills, he captured the historic events of the march. Subsequently, the artist expanded his creative horizons by illustrating popular films and working with beloved Indian authors. Kanu Desai produced numerous silhouette drawings, book covers, romantic albums such as Jeevan Mangal and Nritya Manjari , making Indian aesthetics accessible to millions of countrymen. Later, he participated in the Bombay talkie film industry’s emergence as an art director and production designer, contributing significantly to cinema’s development in India. The artists’ remarkable efforts in the field of visual arts were crowned with honors, including the Ranjitram Suvarna Chandrak and the Filmfare Best Art Direction Award. Kanu Desai’s career began in the early 1920s and lasted for several decades, during which he created many iconic paintings and designed film sets. In 1980, the maestro passed away in Ahmedabad.
Early Life
The early years of Kanu Desai’s life were filled with struggles, but this was compensated by the surrounding rich culture that significantly influenced his personality and determined the career choice. Kanu Desai was born on 12th March 1907 in Bharuch, a district of Bombay Presidency. At the tender age, he lost both of his parents, and he went to Ahmedabad to stay with his maternal uncle. Being a part of Ahmedabad’s cultural and traditional lifestyle, where local craftspeople and weavers usually gathered, provided the creative atmosphere needed for Kanu’s development. As a responsible and conscious young man, he participated in the famous Indian National Congress session in Ahmedabad in 1920. The event was organized as a meeting of millions of freedom fighters and was presided by none other than Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhi’s speeches and meetings left a strong impression on a young man from Ahmedabad. Desai always expressed patriotism and admiration for India’s ancient culture and traditions. Instead of choosing a “conventional career,” his family accepted his interest in drawing and supported his decision. Thus, young Kanu began his art journey among the vibrant local sights and sounds in western India.
Education
Education of Kanu Desai in Fine Arts Essay (Critical Writing)
Kanu Desai’s education in the fine arts was imbued with the spirit of Gujarat renaissance and the Santiniketan school of thought. In 1922, he was admitted to Ravishankar Raval’s painting and drawing school. Raval was a brilliant artist who identified young talents and nurtured them to become professional painters. Under his tutelage, Desai learned the fundamentals of drawing and painting. Moreover, he was introduced to the works of the masters of Indian art. Eager to learn more, Desai left for West Bengal and enrolled at Kala Bhavana, Santiniketan in 1925. He was a student of Nandalal Bose, one of the first modern artists in India. Bose taught him wash drawings and water colours. Desai was exposed to the entire creative legacy of Bengal School of Art. In addition, he internalized the philosophy of Nobel Prize winner Rabindranath Tagore, who taught his students to think about Indian society and its relationship with nature.
Artistic Journey
Kanu Desai’s professional expertise is unusually diverse, as he successfully combined two seemingly unrelated spheres: nationalism and Indian cinema. In 1930, being a devoted nationalist, he joined Mahatma Gandhi in his march to Dandi to witness the salt satyagraha and participated as a painter and graphic artist. During the 1930s and 1940s, Desai became a household name as he created color portfolios, greeting cards, and albums of mythology and romance, including Jeevan Mangal and Nritya Manjari, which introduced India’s rich cultural heritage to the common people. Painted silhouette pictures, mythological tales, and gentle ballerina-like poses in his albums made them appealing to a broad audience. Thus, Desai managed to present his art to the Indian public in an easily accessible form while promoting Indian culture and values. In the second stage of his career, Desai moved to Mumbai and began working in the film industry. He was undoubtedly one of the best art directors and production designers who brought Indian cinema to a new level. Being a master plasterer, he created numerous plaster casts of various buildings for the films, including mythological Ram Rajya (1945), about the legendary King Rama. Desai’s images added authenticity and splendor to Indian movies, which remain popular among Indians even today.
Awards and Recognition
During his long and successful career as a fine artist, graphic designer, and movie production designer, Kanu Desai was honored with countless positive reviews and public acclaim. In 1938, he was awarded the first-degree literary and artistic honor in Gujarat, the Ranjitram Suvarna Chandrak, for his unrivaled contribution to Gujarati literature, culture, and art. Desai’s transition from traditional mural painting to movie production designing was successful as he quickly became recognized for his extraordinary works of art. For instance, he received the Filmfare Award for Best Art Direction for the movie Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baaje by V. Shantaram in 1957. The film is notable for its intricate art direction and grand set decoration that depict India’s rich classical dance traditions. In 1965, Desai was honored with Gujarat Gaurav Puraskar by the Gujarat State Lalit Kala Academy for his lifetime achievements in art and culture. This award is presented to a person for their overall contribution to the development of artistic culture in Gujarat. The honors and accolades described above demonstrate Desai’s lasting impact on the fields of Indian painting and cinema.