Manikandan Punnakkal

Manikandan Punnakkal is an Indian artist trained in mural painting. He completed a five-year National Diploma in Mural Painting from the Institute of Mural Painting, Guruvayur, followed by an MFA in Painting from Karnataka University, Mysore. While working extensively on walls, he has also adapted the mural language to canvas, developing a distinctive visual style rooted in classical tradition.

Drawing from the principles of Chithrasutra and Silpastrana, Manikandan’s work demonstrates a strong command of form, composition, and pictorial balance. His practice balances traditional

techniques with contemporary sensibilities, using texture and refined experimentation to make classical visual language relevant today.

His works often explore themes of joy, bliss, and inner harmony, frequently represented through expressive female figures inspired by Anandini, the personification of pleasure. These forms appear fluid and weightless, merging with nature and rhythm, and are often accompanied by folk and tribal imagery. Through his paintings, Manikandan creates a poetic space where the physical and spiritual

coexist, celebrating timeless beauty and emotional depth.