Earlier this week, the art community woke up to a huge loss with the passing of eminent Bengaluru-based artist Yusuf Arakkal. Just like his art, his personality and his willingness to help people left a lasting impression on everyone’s mind.
Though primarily settled in Bengaluru, Arakkal had made many friends and admirers in Hyderabad, a place which he used to visit often to be part of several art camps. Friends and fellow artists pay tribute to the compassionate human being and the amazing artist he was.
Padma Reddy
When I was 10, my father took me to an art show in Delhi where I first saw Yusuf’s work. I was mesmerised. Later, when I got a chance to be part of an art camp with him, my happiness knew no bounds. He was flamboyant both in life and in art, and was one of the best mentors anyone could get — he knew just the right thing to say. Even though we weren’t in the same city, we were in touch. The world has lost not just a great artist, but an amazing person too.
Laxman Aelay
The first time I met Yusuf was in the late ’80s when he was in Hyderabad for an art camp. His technique of painting was amazing. He’d paint using oil paints and then he’d clear away some of the paints with a cloth, resulting in some stunning work. Catching a glimpse of him painting was difficult as he was a very private artist. During our art camps, he would wake up very early, finish his work and then just hang out with the rest of us. No artist who met him went back untouched by his goodness. His passing leaves a gaping hole in the world of art.
A. Rajeswara Rao
Arakkal would take keen interest in the works of his fellow artists and would never turn down anyone who asked him for help. I did get to work with him in an art camp and that’s where he spotted me. A few years later, he got in touch with me for a group art show at his gallery in Bengaluru. The way he spoke to me and treated me at his show is something I will never forget.
Sanjay Ashtaputre
The best thing about Arakkal, apart from his art that is, was his friendly nature. The first time I met him was at the Sanghi art camp in 1995, where we stayed together for six days. His energy was something you couldn’t keep up with. As an artist, his style was amazing and he was very fast with his work, but the quality never suffered. He had a great sense of composition and colour scheme. Arakkal’s sense of humour left an impression on everyone he met.
