Kochi: Anoop Scaria, founder of the Kashi Art Cafe and a flag-bearer of contemporary art in the state, died on Saturday.
Scaria, 58, who founded the popular Cafe in 1989, was also instrumental in setting up the Kashi Art Gallery at Mattanchery that promoted serious art.
Treading a new path, he also played a pivotal role in chalking out a calendar for the artists to display their creations. Long before the Biennale here, Scaria gave Kochi its indelible mark in the art world through his efforts to collate and exhibit the works of talented artists.
Scaria, also an environmentalist, created an organisation Flora and Fauna in 1982 with an aim to protect nature. Scaria, his brother Anand Scaria and their friends, under the banner Green Kochi, promoted planting of tree saplings and protection of trees. They used to organise 'Vriksholsavam' every year and gave the epithet of 'Ammachiyal' for the age-old banyan tree on the Parade Ground in Fort Kochi.
Scaria, along with artists and environmentalists, had batted for many social causes, including cleaning the Fort Kochi beach. He is also credited with starting Beach Festival along with Anand and artist George Augustine in 1984, which later became popular as Cochin Carnival in Fort Kochi.
An artist without pretense, Scaria had his feet firmly on the ground and worked for the welfare of the artists in the state. He has written a book 'Queen of the Arabian Sea'.
Scaria's funeral was held at Marad. He is survived by wife Dorrie and children Jyothy and Nithyananda.
