• Manjit Bawa

    Manjit Bawa was born in Dhuri, Punjab in the year 1941.

    Manjit Bawa canvases are distinguishable in their colors - the ochre of sunflowers, the green of the paddy fields, the red of the sun, the blue of the mountain sky. He was one of the first painters to break out of the dominant grays and browns and opted for more traditionally Indian colors like pinks, reds and violet. Nature is Bawa’s greatest inspiration. Birds and animals make a constant appearance in his paintings, either alone or in human company. Besides nature, the flute is a recurring motif in his works. Bawa has predominantly painted Krishna, Kali and Shiva, who he feels are the icons of his country.

  • Education

    • 1958-63 Studied at the School of Art, Delhi Polytechnic, New Delhi

  • Exibitions

    Posthumous Exhibitions

    • 2011 'High-Light', presented by Sakshi Gallery, Mumbai at The Oberoi, Gurgaon
    • 2011 'Time Unfolded', Kiran Nadar Museum of Art (KNMA), New Delhi
    • 2011 'Roots in the Air, Branches Below: Modern & Contemporary Art from India', San Jose Museum of Art, San Jose
    • 2010 'Art Celebrates 2010', represented by Gallerie Ganesha at Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi to coincide with the hosting of the Commonwealth Games
    • 2010 'Dali's Elephant', Aicon Gallery, London
    • 2009 'Indian Art After Independence: Selected Works from the Collections of Virginia & Ravi Akhoury and Shelley & Donald Rubin', Emile Lowe Gallery, Hempstead
    • 2009 'Kalpana: Figurative Art in India', presented by The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) at Aicon Gallery, London; The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR)
    • 2009 'Tracing Time', Bodhi Art, Mumbai
    • 2009 'In Memorium', National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), New Delhi

    Solo Exhibitions

    • 2005 Air Gallery, London organized by Sakshi Art Gallery, Mumbai and Gallery Maya, London
    • 2005 Nehru Centre, London organized by Sakshi Art Gallery, Mumbai and Gallery Maya, London
    • 2005 ‘Mapping the Conscience 1980-2004’, Palette Art Gallery, New Delhi
    • 2005 ‘Mapping the Conscience 1980-2004’, organized by Sakshi Art Gallery, Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai
    • 2002 Organized by Sakshi Art Gallery, Sama’a and Indian Contemporary, Hong Kong
    • 2001 Sakshi Art Gallery and Sama’a in Kolkata, New Delhi, Mumbai
    • 2001 ‘Heads’, organized by Sakshi Art Gallery and Sama’a in Kolkata, Bangalore, Chennai
    • 2000 Bose Pacia Modern, New York
    • 2000 Exhibition of Miniatures, London
    • 2000 ‘Early Works’, Fine Art Gallery, Mumbai
    • 1999 ‘Bhav, Bhaav, Bhavya’, Frames of Eternity with Sakshi Art Gallery, Mumbai, Academy of Fine Art, Kolkata, Gallery Espace, New Delhi, Lalit Kala Galleries, New Delhi
    • 1998 Kala Bhavan, Santiniketan
    • 1997 Sakshi Art Gallery, Mumbai
    • 1996 Gallery Espace, New Delhi
    • 1994 ‘Drawings’ 94’, Gallery Espace, New Delhi
    • 1994 ‘Miniature Paintings, Silver Boxes and Jewellery’, Gallery Espace, New Delhi
    • 1994 Birla Academy, Kolkata
    • 1994 ‘Carpets and Tapestries’, Sakshi Art Gallery, Mumbai
    • 1992 Exhibition of Drawings and Paintings, CCA, New Delhi
    • 1991 Exhibition of Drawings, Sakshi Art Gallery, Mumbai
    • 1990 Exhibition of Drawings, CCA, New Delhi
    • 1990 Birla Academy, Kolkata
    • 1984 Cymroza Art Gallery, Mumbai
    • 1982 Art Museum, Washington DC, USA
    • 1979 Dhoomimal Gallery, New Delhi
    • 1972-74 All India Fine Arts and Crafts Society (AIFACS), New Delhi
    • 1970 Private Gallery, San Sebastin, Spain

    Group Exhibitions

    • 2008 ‘Freedom 2008 – Sixty Years after Indian Independence’, Centre for International Modern Art (CIMA), Kolkata
    • 2005 ‘Ritu’, an exhibition of miniatures organized by Anant Art Gallery, New Delhi
    • 2004 ‘Realm of Fantasy’, organized by Indian Contemporary Art
    • 2004 ‘The Margi and the Desi’, organized by Gallery Espace, New Delhi
    • 2003 ‘Transition’, organized by Gallerie 88, London
    • 2000 Exhibited with Hof and Huyser, Kunst + Rai, Amsterdam
    • 1998 ‘Murano Glass Sculptures’, Prince of Wales Museum, Mumbai
    • 1998 ‘Expat India Women’s Club Group Show’, organized by Impresario, Singapore
    • 1998 ‘Four Contemporary Artists’, Gallery Espace, New Delhi
    • 1997 Organized by Centre for International Modern Art (CIMA) at National Museum, Singapore
    • 1996 ‘Highlights’, Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai
    • 1996 ‘Images on Paper’, Art Today, New Delhi
    • 1996 ‘Chamatkar’, Exhibition of Contemporary Indian Art, Organized by Centre for International Modern Art (CIMA), London
    • 1996 Collection from National Gallery of Modern Art, China
    • 1996 Paintings from Bharat Bhavan, Moscow
    • 1995 Curated Contemporary Indian Art Show for National Gallery of Modern Art Group Show, Egypt
    • 1995 Le Shosde, Paris
    • 1994 ‘Drawings' 94’, Gallery Espace, New Delhi
    • 1994 ‘Miniatures’, Centre for International Modern Art (CIMA), Kolkata
    • 1994 ‘River of Art’, Art Today, New Delhi
    • 1994 Exhibition of Indian Paintings by National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA)in Israel
    • 1994 Exhibition of Indian Paintings by National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) in Syria
    • 1993 ‘India Songs’, New South Wales Museum, Australia
    • 1993 ‘Wounds’, Centre for International Modern Art (CIMA), Kolkata and National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), New Delhi
    • 1993 ‘Trends and Images’, Centre for International Modern Art (CIMA), Kolkata
    • 1992 ‘Images: The Poet and the Painter’, CCA, New Delhi
    • 1992 ‘The Subjective Eye’, Sakshi Gallery, Mumbai
    • 1992 ‘Nine Indian Contemporaries’, CCA, New Delhi
    • 1992 Roopankar Museum, Bharat Bhavan, Bhopal
    • 1990 ‘State of Art’, Computer Paintings, Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai
    • 1990 ‘Exhibition of Drawings’, CCA, New Delhi
    • 1989 ‘Timeless Art’, Times of India, Mumbai
    • 1987 ‘Contemporary Indian Art’, Taj Mahal Hotel, Mumbai
    • 1985 ‘Five Painters’, Turkey, Haly, Yugoslavia
    • 1984 Shridharani Art Gallery, New Delhi
    • 1983 ‘Seven Painters’, Maurya Gallery, New Delhi
    • 1982 Asian Art Exhibition, Fukuoka, Japan
    • 1982 Art Museum, Washington D.C., USA
    • 1982 Inaugural Exhibition, Roopankar , Bharat Bhavan, Bhopal
    • 1980 ‘Miniature Format’, Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi
    • 1979 ‘Serigraphs’, Alliance Francaise, New Delhi
    • 1979 ‘Indian Art Today’, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi
    • 1979 Inaugural Exhibition, ‘Roopankar’, Bharat Bhavan, Bhopal
    • 1978 ‘Gallery 26 / Artists Forum', New Delhi
    • 1977 Natraj Gallery, New Delhi
    • 1977 ‘Art India 77’, Lalit Kala Gallery, New Delhi
    • 1977 ‘Pictorial Space’, Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi
    • 1977 ‘Gallery 26 / Artists forum', New Delhi
    • 1977 Indian Art Today, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, Chennai, Calcutta Art Museum, Washington DC
    • 1977 Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai
    • 1977 Twenty Artists, Shridharani Gallery, New Delhi
    • 1976 Shridharani Gallery, New Delhi
    • 1972-74 All India Fine Arts and Crafts Society (AIFACS), New Delhi
    • 1970 Private Gallery, San Sebastian, Spain
    • 1969 Terrace, London
    • 1963 Shilpi Chakra, New Delhi
    • 1962 Government College of Art, Ludhiana
    • 1962-63 ‘The Six’, All India Fine Arts and Crafts Society (AIFACS), New Delhi
    • 1961 Indian Seminar of Art, Ambala

    Joint Exhibitions

    • 2005 ‘In Transit III’, With Ravinder Reddy, organized by Sakshi Gallery at Alexander Ochs Galleries, Berlin
    • 1994 ‘Colored Pencils’, Gallery Espace, New Delhi

    Participations

    • 2008-09 ‘Expanding Horizons: Contemporary Indian Art’, Traveling Exhibition presented by Bodhi Art at Ravinder Natya Mandir, P.L.Despande Kala Academy Art Gallery, Mumbai; Sant Dyaneshwar Natya Sankul Art Gallery, Amravati; Platinum Jubilee Hall, Nagpur; Tapadia Natya Mandir Sports Hall, Aurangabad; Hirachand Nemchand Vachanalay’s, Solapur; Acharya Vidyanand Sanskrutik Bhavan, Kolhapur; PGSR Sabhagriha, SNDT, Pune; Sarvajanik Vachanalaya Hall, Nasik
    • 2005 Golden Jubilee Exhibition of Lalit Kala Akademi, Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi
    • 2004 ‘Face-to-Face’, Annual Show, Centre of International Modern Art (CIMA), Kolkata
    • 2002 ‘Annual Show’, Vadehra Art Gallery, New Delhi
    • 2001-02-03 Annual Show, Centre of International Modern Art (CIMA), Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi
    • 1995 ‘Hundred Years of Indian Art’, National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), New Delhi
    • 1987 Coup de Coeur, Geneva
    • 1986 Bharat Bhawan Biennale, Bhopal
    • 1986 1st Asian-European Art Biennale, Ankara, Turkey
    • 1986 2nd Biennale, Havana, Cuba
    • 1985 ‘Roopankar’, Bharat Bhawan, Bhopal
    • 1985 ‘Festival of India’, The Grey Art Gallery, New York
    • 1984 Tokyo Biennale, Japan
    • 1982 Contemporary Indian Paintings, Festival of India, London
    • 1979 National Exhibition, New Delhi
    • 1977 ‘Contemporary Indian Paintings’, Festival of India, London
    • 1976 National Exhibition, New Delhi
    • 1963-68 Annual Exhibitions, New Delhi

    Honours and Awards

    • 2002 ‘Meeting Manjit’, film on Manjit Bawa directed by Buddadeb Dasgupta, received the National Award for Best Documentary
    • 1986 1st Bharat Bhawan Biennale, Bhopal
    • 1981 All India Exhibition of Prints and Drawings, Chandigarh
    • 1980 National Award, Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi
    • 1963 Sailoz Prize, New Delhi

    Manjit Bawa passed away in the year 2008.