Latheesh Lakshman is a Kerala-based artist whose visual practice is rooted in the craft traditions of his region, particularly the goldsmith community’s legacy. With formal training from the College of Fine Arts, Thiruvananthapuram, and over two decades in the advertising industry, Latheesh brings a refined visual language shaped by both local sensibilities and global aesthetics. His works often fuse minimal illustration, typography, and pattern to create playful yet incisive reflections on contemporary culture.
His creative explorations are grounded in a critical view of Malayali identity, with particular focus on its performative pride, gender norms, and social hierarchies. Through a hybrid of design, illustration, and linguistic play, he challenges the cultural pomp that often cloaks itself in titles like Sreeman and Sreemathi. Latheesh’s works use satire and vernacular symbols to hold a mirror to this constructed superiority, making space for humour, critique, and recognition.
Latheesh’s works have been exhibited at Contextual Cosmologies, College of Fine Arts Gallery, Thiruvananthapuram (2023); Festival for Contemporary Art & Culture, Kunsthafen Köln, Germany (2022); Lokame Tharavadu, Alappuzha and Ernakulam (2021); Kondotti Sufi Festival, Malappuram (2019); and Uru Art Harbour, Fort Kochi (2018), among others. He has also contributed to branding and design projects for major institutions such as the Kochi-Muziris Biennale and Kerala Lalithakala Akademi. His work has earned him several accolades, including the Cannes Lions (2011), Transform Dubai (2018), and YCN London (2007).