K. C. S. Panicker (1911-1977), was born in Coimbatore, and received his education in Kerala. He started painting at an early age of eleven in watercolors, the lush green village inspired him to paint landscapes in bright colours. At the young age of 17, he exhibited for the first time at the Madras Fine Arts Society annual show. Panicker had to drop College and take up a job at the Telegraph Department in order to support his family after the demise of his father. After a gap of around 5-6 years he joined the Government School of Arts and Crafts, Chennai and studied there between the years 1936-40.

Panicker founded the Progressive Painter's Association in 1944 and also for a while between 1955-58 served at the Government College of Fine Arts, Chennai as principal. In 1966, along with few fellow artists he formed the Cholamandal Artists' Village. Between the 1940's and 60's Panicker held numerous solo and group exhibitions in Delhi, Chennai, London, Brazil, Moscow and Paris.

Panicker followed the trajectory of world art movements of the west and its ever growing creative path. His initial works were a direct inspiration from western artists like Van Gogh, Gauguin and Matisse. His style underwent transformation after a series of classes with Paul Klee. Klee's lectures and paintings inspired him a great deal and Panicker went on a creative journey to find his own individual style. He sought inspiration in the Arabic figures and symbols of Algebra and Latin. This new phase made the artist to explore traditional Indian symbols and he started to incorporate astrological charts and words from the Malayalam script into his artworks. He also explored the tents of Tantric Art through his works.

His art gave expression to the local myths, folklore, the entire paraphernalia of traditional arts and crafts and ancient knowledge systems of the ‘region’. And yet his art was far from archaic.

A trailblazer of sorts, K.C.S. Paniker with his unique art gave a modern interpretation to tradition.