Bengaluru-based artist Yusuf Arakkal died on Tuesday morning, The Hindu reported. Arakkal, who was born in Kerala in 1945, was known internationally and had won several awards including a national award for his work in 1983. The artist, known for several collections of abstract and contemporary art, reportedly died of a heart attack.

Arakkal had worked on his last exhibition for several years. The exhibition had put together more than 130 portraits of personalities and was called Faces of Creativity. It included portaits of Amrita Sher Gil, Adimoolam, KK Hebbar and MF Husain, among others. Arakkal had also written three books and wrote poetry.