Kasaragod: Twenty years after it was commissioned, renowned sculptor Kanayi Kunhiraman's tallest work, ‘Victims’, a tribute to the endosulfan victims of Kasaragod, will be unveiled at the District Panchayat office premises on November 13.

Kerala Speaker Thiruvanchur Radhakrishnan will unveil the 40-foot sculpture, along with another work titled ‘Freedom’, at 10.30 am.

Even as the inauguration draws near, the District Panchayat, which commissioned the work, is yet to clear the sculptor's outstanding bills of ₹3.20 lakh.

The project cost, initially sanctioned at ₹20 lakh, has escalated to ₹65 lakh over the years, said District Panchayat secretary Biju S. The project faced several hurdles, including changes in the District Panchayat administration, funding difficulties, floods and the COVID-19 pandemic. Work resumed at different stages before Kanayi completed the sculpture about four months ago.

"The District Panchayat explored the possibility of raising CSR (corporate social responsibility) funds but could not secure support from companies. It then set aside money from its own funds over the years," the secretary said. The government has now approved the additional expenditure incurred on the project, he said.

Kanayi, known for his monumental works across Kerala, does not charge an artist's fee for his public sculptures, seeking only the cost for materials and workers' wages. Usually, the commissioning agency bears these expenses. In Kasaragod, however, the sculptor met the costs from his own pocket. The delay in clearing the bills has caused him considerable inconvenience, said sources close to him.

They said the Speaker also raised the issue of pending dues when a District Panchayat delegation met him to invite him to the unveiling ceremony. "The pending bills will be cleared within two days," Biju told Onmanorama.

Conceived in 2006, ‘Victims’ is Kanayi's only public sculpture in his home district. The work was commissioned by the then District Panchayat president M V Balakrishnan, who wanted the celebrated sculptor to create something for his home district, Kasaragod.

Kanayi chose to depict the human tragedy caused by the aerial spraying of endosulfan on the Plantation Corporation of Kerala's cashew plantations for nearly two decades. Exposure to the pesticide has been linked to congenital deformities, developmental disorders and other serious health problems among thousands of people in the district.

Unlike his famous works, such as the Malampuzha Yakshi and Sagarakanyaka, ‘Victims’ is semi-abstract, incorporating elements of cubism. It depicts two children with disproportionately large heads and arms clinging to their helpless mother.

The mother's face is turned towards the District Panchayat office rather than the road. The orientation is deliberate, Kanayi had explained. "I want the administration to hear her pleas, not the public. Her cries for help should reach those in positions of authority," he told Onmanorama.

The second sculpture, ‘Freedom’, stands alongside ‘Victims’. It depicts a group of people with raised arms and clenched fists, seemingly caught in the act of raising revolutionary slogans. Another figure sits hunched in front of them, his head resting on his arms.

Kanayi conceived the second work after some leaders questioned the relevance of an endosulfan-themed sculpture for the District Panchayat and said they expected something more revolutionary.

The 40-foot sculpture, however, has a three-storey District Panchayat building standing less than three metres away. It has come up recently. Designed by architect G Shankar of Habitat Group, the building has drawn Kanayi's displeasure. He said that it dwarfed the sculpture and compromised the viewing experience. He had wanted the work to be viewed from a distance, against an open backdrop.

Biju said the District Panchayat was developing a lawn around the sculptures, with seating arrangements and lighting, to make the space more inviting and encourage people to spend time there.