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{{Infobox artist
| name = Balan Nambiar<br>ബാലൻ നമ്പ്യാര്‍
|image = Balan nambiar's sculpture studio in 2005.jpg
| caption = Balan Nambiar's sculpture studio in 2005
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1937|11|12}}
| birth_place = [[Kannapuram]], [[Madras Presidency]], [[British Raj|British India]]
| nationality = Indian
| field = Paintings, sculptures, researches on ritual art
| works = ''Valampiri Shanka'', ''The Sky is the Limit''
| awards = India National award for sculpture, Nehru fellowship for research
}}

'''Balan Nambiar''' ({{lang-ml|ബാലൻ നമ്പ്യാര്‍}}; born 12 November 1937 in [[Kannapuram]]) is an Indian painter, sculptor, enamellist, photographer and an academic researcher.

==Biography==
[[File:Kadamkottu Makkam and Chiru Teyyams, photo by Balan Nambiar.jpg|thumb|right|Kadamkottu Makkam and Chiru Teyyams]]
As a sculptor he worked with clay, [[Fiber-reinforced concrete|fiberglass reinforced concrete]], wood, bronze, [[Carbon steel|mild steel]] and, from 2000, stainless steel.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Chawla|first1=Rupika|title=Surface and Depth: Indian Artists at Work|date=1995|publisher=Viking|location=New Delhi|isbn=9780670861743|page=183}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=De|first1=Aditi|title=Articulations. Voices from Contemporary Indian Visual Art|date=2004|publisher=Rupa & Company|location=Delhi|isbn=9788171677481}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=Mago|first1=Pram Nath|title=Contemporary Art in India: A perspective|date=2001|publisher=National Book Trust|location=India|isbn=8123734204|pages=69, 140}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last1=Matthan|first1=Ayesha|title=Colours of perspective|date=14 March 2009|url=http://www.hindu.com/mp/2009/03/14/stories/2009031452220800.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090823013205/http://www.hindu.com/mp/2009/03/14/stories/2009031452220800.htm|url-status=dead|journal=[[The Hindu]]|archive-date=23 August 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=Dhar|first1=Dwarka Nath|title=The Indian architect, Volume 23|publisher=K. Dhar|date=1981|page=91}}</ref> Many of his works are outdoor sculptures; some are monumental.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Gopalakrishnana|first1=K.K.|title=A style of his own|date=3 February 2006|url=http://www.hindu.com/fr/2006/02/03/stories/2006020300350200.htm|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130629115525/http://www.hindu.com/fr/2006/02/03/stories/2006020300350200.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=29 June 2013|journal=[[The Hindu]]|accessdate=19 July 2014}}</ref>
He produced [[Vitreous enamel|enamel]] paintings,<ref>{{cite book|last1=Ebrahim|first1=Alkazi|title=Art Heritage 10 1990–91|publisher=Art Heritage Publication|location=New Delhi}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=Catherine B.|first1=Asher|title=India 2001: reference encyclopedia|date=2004|publisher=South Asia Publications|isbn=978-0-945921-42-4|page=20}}</ref> having learned the technique from [[Paolo De Poli]] of [[Padua]], Italy.<ref>an interview with Balan Nambiar, in {{cite AV media|people=Sisir Battacharya (director) |title=Balan Nambiar on ETV Yuva Bharat |medium=Television production |publisher=ETV Yuva Bharat |location=India |url=http://www.vsansar.com/video/list.php?q=Balan+Nambiar&Submit=GO |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140905042621/http://www.vsansar.com/video/list.php?q=Balan+Nambiar&Submit=GO |archivedate=5 September 2014 }}</ref> His creative works were exhibited in national and international art exhibitions, including [[Venice Biennale]] in 1982,<ref>{{cite book|last1=Carluccio|first1=Luigi|title=La Biennale di Venezia: visual arts; general catalogue 1982|date=1982|publisher=Electa|location=Milan|isbn=8820802937|pages=130–131}}</ref><ref>from {{cite web|title=Venice Biennale mediateca|url=http://asac.labiennale.org/it/documenti/mediateca/ava-ricerca.php?scheda=46943&nuova=1&Sidsupporto=46943&ret=%2Fit%2Fricerca%2Fricerca-persona.php%3Fp%3D395091%26c%3Dd|website=ASAC – Archivio Storico delle Arti Contemporanee|publisher=La Biennale di Venezia|accessdate=19 July 2014}}</ref> Constructa-78 in [[Hannover]] in 1978, Triennale India in New Delhi in 1975.<ref>{{cite web|title=Third Triennale-India 08 Feb 21 Mar 1975|url=http://www.aaa.org.hk/Collection/Details/16465|website=Asian Art Archive|accessdate=19 July 2014}}</ref> Works by him are in the permanent collection of many museums.

Balan Nambiar has extensively studied, photographed and documented hundreds of ritual performances and art forms of the Indian west coast as [[Theyyam|Teyyam]] and [[Bhuta Kola|Bhuta]].<ref>{{cite book|last1=Assayag and Fuller|title=Globalizing India: perspectives from Below|date=2005|publisher=Anthem Press|location=London and New York|isbn=9781843311942|page=207|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3juHflkUCF4C&dq=%22Balan+Nambiar%22&pg=PA207|accessdate=30 July 2014}}</ref> Articles and photographs by him are published in books. Around 1800 of his photographs have been acquired by the Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts,<ref>{{cite web|title=Ethnographoc collection|url=http://ignca.nic.in/ethno_body.htm|website=Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts|publisher=IGNCA, Delhi|accessdate=19 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140703175953/http://ignca.nic.in/ethno_body.htm|archive-date=3 July 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> New Delhi.<ref>{{cite book|publisher=Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting|title=India 1988–89 a reference annual|url=https://archive.org/details/dli.bengal.10689.11605|date=1 January 1990|location=India}}</ref>

He received awards both for creative works and academic research: India National Award in 1981 and [[Karnataka]] State Award in 1980 of [[Lalit Kala Academy]] (National Academy of Fine Arts) for his sculptures, Senior Fellowship of the India Ministry of Culture in 1982–83 and Nehru Fellowship of [[Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund]] in 1983–85<ref>{{cite web|title=List of Jawaharlal Nehru Fellows|url=http://www.jnmf.in/flist.html|website=Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund|accessdate=19 July 2014}}</ref> for academic research, Academy Fellowship of the Kerala Lalitha Kala Academy in 2005 for creative works,<ref>{{cite web|title=Akademi Fellowships|url=http://lalithkala.org/content/akademi-fellowships|website=Kerala Lalithakala Akademi|accessdate=21 July 2014}}</ref> Pravasi Kalaratna Fellowship of Kerala [[Sangeet Natak Akademi|Sangeetha Nataka Akademi]] in 2013 for painting.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Kala Ratna fellowships|journal=The Hindu|date=19 January 2014|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-kerala/kala-ratna-fellowships/article5592530.ece}}</ref> The [[Government of Kerala]] awarded him the 2014 ''[[Raja Ravi Verma]] Puraskaram'', the highest state award in the art category, in 2015.<ref name="Raja Ravi Verma Puraskaram">{{cite web | url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-kerala/award-for-balan-nambiar/article7005603.ece | title=Raja Ravi Verma Puraskaram | work=The Hindu | date=18 March 2015 | accessdate=18 March 2015}}</ref> [[National Gallery of Modern Art, Bangalore]] held the retrospective of six decades of work by Nambiar in February 2018, which was curated by [[Sadanand Menon]] [https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/art/balan-nambiar-and-his-six-decades-of-engagement-with-materiality/article22773286.ece]

He has been chairman of the Lalit Kala Academi, New Delhi,<ref>{{cite web|title=Shri Balan Nambiar appointed as the Acting Chairman of Lalit Kala Akademi |url=http://lalitkala.gov.in/chairmen.html |website=Lalit Kala Academy |accessdate=19 July 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140327125946/http://lalitkala.gov.in/chairmen.html |archivedate=27 March 2014 }}</ref> member of the General Council of Lalit Kala Academy,<ref>{{cite web|title=General Council Members |url=http://www.lalitkala.gov.in/history/up-coming-events/gc-members.html |website=Lalit Kala Akademi |accessdate=19 July 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140715182953/http://lalitkala.gov.in/history/up-coming-events/gc-members.html |archivedate=15 July 2014 }}</ref> member of the Central Advisory Board on Culture, India.<ref>{{cite web|title=Manual VIII Central Advisory Board on Culture |url=http://indiaculture.nic.in/indiaculture/pdf/MANUAL-VIII.pdf |website=Ministry of Culture, India |accessdate=19 July 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131002021957/http://indiaculture.nic.in/indiaculture/pdf/MANUAL-VIII.pdf |archivedate=2 October 2013 }}</ref>

==Major works==
[[File:2004 Timken sculpture 620x90x60 cm. photo by Balan Nambiar.jpg|thumb|right|''Sculpture for Timken'', 2004]]
[[File:Poetry in architecture A 75x64x44 cm. 2004 photo by Balan Nambiar.JPG|thumb|right|Poetry in architecture, 2004]]
[[File:The Sky is the Limit - IOC heigth 6.3m 2010 photo by BalanNambiar.JPG|thumb|right|''The Sky is the Limit'', 2010]]
* ''Monument to the Assassinated'', Kota stone, steel and granite, 2.5 x 5.6 x 1.8 m., Goethe-Institut Max Mueller Bhavan, New Delhi, 1995<ref>{{cite book|last1=Girja|first1=Kumar|title=The book on trial: fundamentalism and censorship in India|date=1997|publisher=Har-Anand Publications|location=New Delhi|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=n-KUICFfA00C&dq=Monument+to+the+Assassinated+Balan+Nambiar&pg=PA325|isbn=8124105251}}</ref>
* ''Valampiri Shankha'', stainless steel, 2.4 m. high, Indian Institute of Science, gifted by Texas Instruments, Bangalore, 2000<ref>{{cite journal|last1=David|first1=Stephen|title=Man of Steel|journal=India Today|date=30 October 2000|volume=25|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/india-unit-of-texas-instruments-chooses-sculptor-balan-nambiar-to-showcase-links-with-iis/1/245848.html}}</ref>
* ''Hanging sculpture'', stainless steel, 5.3 m. high, ING-Vysya Bank, Bangalore, 2003<ref>{{cite journal|title=Stainless Steel abounds in Ing Vysya Bank, Bangalore|journal=Stainless India|date=February 2004|volume=9|issue=3/2|page=2|issn=0971-9482|url=http://www.stainlessindia.org/UploadPdf/FEB-2004.pdf}}</ref>
* ''Sculpture for Timken'', stainless steel, 6.02 m. high, TIMKEN, Bangalore, 2004<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Ravindran|first1=Nirmala|title=Steeling the show|journal=India Today|date=17 May 2004|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/balan-nambiar-sculpture-for-timken-engineering-research-india/1/196430.html}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last1=Hindley|first1=Agnieszka|title=Heavy metal|date=15 March 2004|url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2004/03/15/stories/2004031502300300.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040404181852/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2004/03/15/stories/2004031502300300.htm|url-status=dead|journal=[[The Hindu]]|archive-date=4 April 2004}}</ref>
* ''Kannati Bimbam'', 2007<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Goswamy|first1=B. N.|title=Reflections of divinity|journal=The Tribune|date=9 December 2007|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2007/20071209/spectrum/art.htm}}</ref>
* ''The Sky is the Limit'', stainless steel, 6.5 m. high, Indian Oil Corporation, New Delhi, 2010<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Gopalakrishnan|first1=K. K.|title=Saying it with steel|date=15 October 2010|url=http://www.hindu.com/fr/2010/10/15/stories/2010101550440400.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101021063655/http://www.hindu.com/fr/2010/10/15/stories/2010101550440400.htm|url-status=dead|journal=[[The Hindu]]|archive-date=21 October 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|title=Stainless Sculpture 'The Sky is the Limit' Celebrates 50 years of the Indian Oil Corporation|journal=Stainless India|date=June 2010|volume=15|issue=2|pages=1–2|issn=0971-9482|url=http://www.stainlessindia.org/UploadPdf/June%202010.pdf}}</ref>

==Collections==
* [[National Gallery of Modern Art]], India (sculptures in National Gallery Modern Art, New Delhi; [[Government Museum (Bangalore)|Government Museum]], Bangalore; [[National Gallery of Modern Art, Bangalore|National Gallery of Modern Art]], Bangalore; Jawahar Kala Kendra, Jaipur)<ref>National Gallery of Modern Art {{cite web|title=Collection|url=http://ngmaindia.gov.in/collections-artist.asp?strLetter=N|website=National Gallery Modern Art|accessdate=19 July 2014}}, India</ref>
* [[Government Museum, Chennai|Government Museum]], Chennai<ref>{{cite book|title=Tamil Nadu State Administration Report 1071-1972|date=1974|publisher=Government of Tamil Nadu|location=Madras|page=306}}</ref>
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20140221122405/http://formsofdevotion.org/mosa.php Museum of Sacred Art], Durbuy, Belgium<ref>{{cite web|title=Balan Nambiar |url=http://formsofdevotion.org/artist_profile.php?id=16&Artist=Balan-Nambiar |website=Museum of Sacred Arts |accessdate=19 July 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140117230305/http://formsofdevotion.org/artist_profile.php?id=16&Artist=Balan-Nambiar |archivedate=17 January 2014 }}</ref>
* [http://www.jncasr.ac.in/index.php Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research], Bangalore<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Jakimowicz|first1=Marta|title=Between urban and cosmic spaces|journal=Deccan Herald|date=4 October 2003|url=http://archive.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/oct04/at1.asp|accessdate=19 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304201846/http://archive.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/oct04/at1.asp|archive-date=4 March 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20190426060403/http://www.rietberg.ch/de-ch/home.aspx Rietberg Museum], Zurich
See more in Shrishti Art Gallery, India.<ref>{{cite web|title=Artists profile |url=http://www.shrishtiart.com/Artist_Profile.aspx?ArtistId=266 |website=Shrishti Art Gallery |accessdate=19 July 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100107160228/http://www.shrishtiart.com/Artist_Profile.aspx?ArtistId=266 |archivedate=7 January 2010 }}</ref>

==Publications on ritual art==
* Nambiar, Balan (2014). "Veeralipattu, Valampiri Shankha, Kannadi Bimbam". Kottayam, Kerala State, India: DC Books. {{ISBN|978-81-264-5348-1}} (Malayalam)
* {{cite book |last=Nambiar |first=Balan |editor-first=Roddam |editor-last=Narasimha |title=History of Science, Philosophy and Culture in Indian Civilization |publisher=Munshirm Manoharlal |date=2011 |pages=407–422|chapter=Ancient Ritual Objects and Modern Sculptures: The Metal Mirrors and Valampiri Conches of Kerala |isbn=978-81-87586-494}}
* Nambiar, Balan (2009). "Mythos und Kunsthandwerk (Rituals, myths and handicrafts)". In Beltz, Johannes. ''Wenn Masken tanzen – Rituelles Theater und Bronzekunst aus Südindien''. Museum Rietberg, Zürich, pp. 19–55. {{ISBN|978-3-907077-40-5}} (German)
* Nambiar, Balan (2001). "Masks in the ritual arts of the west coast of southern India". In Malik, S.C. ''Man, Mind and Mask'', IGNCA, New Delhi, pp. 267–271. {{ISBN|81-7305-192-5}}
* Nambiar, Balan (2000). "Teyyam, the Ritual Performing Arts of northern Kerala". In Goswamy, B.N. ''History of Science, Philosophy and Culture in Indian Civilization: Indian Art'', pp. 265–277, New Delhi. {{ISBN|81-215-0904-1}}
* Nambiar, Balan (1993). "Tai paradevata: Ritual impersonation in the Teyyam tradition of Kerala". In Brückner H., Lutze L., Malik A. ''Flags of fame, Studies in South Asian folk culture'', pp. 139–163, South Asia Books, {{ISBN|81-7304-049-4}}<ref>{{cite web|title=South Asia Institute of Heidelberg University|url=http://www.sai.uni-heidelberg.de/pub/sas.php|website=Ruprecht Karls Universität Heidelberg|accessdate=19 July 2014}}</ref>
* Nambiar, Balan., Fisher E. (1987) "Patola / Virali pattu – from Gujarat to Kerala". Lang, Peter, ''Asiatische Studien 41,2'': 120–146, 1987<ref>{{cite web|title=Publikationsliste von Eberhard Fischer|url=http://www.rietberg.ch/media/451594/publikationsliste_eberhard_fischer.pdf|website=Rietberg Museum|accessdate=19 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130805144649/http://www.rietberg.ch/media/451594/publikationsliste_eberhard_fischer.pdf|archive-date=5 August 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> (German)
* Nambiar, Balan (1981). "Gods and Ghosts – Teyyam and Bhuta rituals". Doshi, Saryu (ed) ''The performing Arts'', Marg Volume 34, Issues 3–4, Bombay, 1981, pp 62–73

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Balan Nambiar}}
* [http://www.balannambiar.com/ Personal website]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfaMtWW0H-0 Balan Nambiar Interview by Parul, Chandigarh Lalit Kala Academy]

{{Painters from Kerala}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nambiar, Balan}}
[[Category:20th-century Indian painters]]
[[Category:Indian male sculptors]]
[[Category:Indian enamellers]]
[[Category:20th-century enamellers]]
[[Category:21st-century enamellers]]
[[Category:Indian folklorists]]
[[Category:Scholars from Kerala]]
[[Category:Photography academics]]
[[Category:People from Kannur district]]
[[Category:Malayali people]]
[[Category:Artists from Kerala]]
[[Category:1937 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Government College of Fine Arts, Chennai alumni]]
[[Category:Modern sculptors]]
[[Category:Jawaharlal Nehru Fellows]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian sculptors]]
[[Category:Indian contemporary artists]]
[[Category:21st-century ceramists]]

Balan Nambiar - Revision history

->Citation bot at 21:12, 27 November 2021