CELEBRATE GOAN ART

K H ARA

 
 

16/04/1914 - 30/06/1985

 

 

 

Artist Profile

BEGINNINGS

He was born in the cantonment town of Bolarum near Hyderabad. ? His mother died when he was three and his father passed away when he was only 10 years. ? He migrated to Bombay. ? Early 1930s imprisoned because of his involvement with the Salt Satyagraha. ? He then settled down as a motor-cleaner. ? 1948 Founder member of the Progressive Artists` Group, the Artists` Aid Centre, and the Bombay Group, Bombay. ? Mr. C. Gerrad the one-time Principal of the Sir. J.J. School of Art, Mr. Rudy von Leyden, Prof. Walter Langhammer and Mr. E. Schlesinger took lot of interest on his art works. ? He was on the Managing Committee of Bombay Art Society, Bombay. ? He was the Secretary of the Artists` Aid Centre for several years. ? Also on the Selection and Judging Committee of the Lalit Kala Akademi. ? 1961 He visited Bulgaria as an exchange artist sponsored by the Govt. of India and Lalit Kala Akademi. ? He has done the sets for the late Egon Vietta`s production of `Iphigenia in America`,

EDUCATION

Not formally trained but Rudi Von Leyden, the critic of the Times of India, recognized his talent. ? He also received guidance from Prof. W. Langhammer, Art Director, Times of India. ? Completed a foundation course, Ketkar Institute of Art, Bombay.

EXHIBITIONS

1942 First solo show at Bombay Art Society Salon in Rampart Row (now Artists` Aid Center), Bombay. ? 1944 Exhb. at the Chetan Restaurant, Bombay. ? 1947 Exhb. in Matunga, a Bombay Suburb. ? 1948 Inaugural exhb. Progressive Artist`s Group, at Bombay Art Society, Bombay. ? 1948 Two shows held in the provincial towns of Surat and Rander. ? 1949-55 Group Exhb. with Progressive Artist`s Group, Bombay, Ahmedabad and Baroda. ? 1950 One man show of Still Life. ? 1950 Calcutta Group - Progressive Artists Group, had joint exhb., Calcutta. ? 1954,60 Exhb at Jehangir Art Gallery, Bombay. ? 1961 One man show at Hyderabad. ? 1962 Nude Show, Taj Gallery, Bombay. ? 1963 Held an exhb. of his paintings, exclusively in aid of the National Defence Fund, Roop Gallery. ? 1963 Black Nude Series, Pundole Art Gallery, Bombay. ? 1963 `Poem on Canvas`, Taj Gallery and Byculla. ? 1964 `Jasnne-e-Ara`, Prince of Wales Museum, Key Gallery, Bombay. ? 1966 Solo Exhb. of Paintings, on the 3rd Anniversary

COLLECTION

Late Sir Cowasji Jehangir Family Collection. ? National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi. ? Baroda Museum, Baroda. ? Faculty Fine Arts, Maharaja Sayajiroa University, Baroda. ? State Transport, Bombay. ? Howard University. ? Atomic Energy Commission, Bombay. ? The Prince of Wales Museum, Bombay. ? Fred Harvey Museum, Bangalore. ? The High Court Bar Room, Bombay. ? Yale University, USA. ? Kali Pundole Family Collection. ? Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi. ? Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bombay. ? Late Rudi von Leden Family Collection. ? Trivandrum Museum. ? The Govt. of Andhra Pradesh Museum. ? Hyderabad Art Society, Hyderabad. ? Air India International. ? Indian Airlines Corporation. ? Globe Theatres Ltd.

AWARDS

He has won numerous awards and prizes including the Gold Medal at the inauguration of the Jehangir Art Gallery, Bombay. ? 1944 Awarded the Governor`s Prize, Bombay. ? Awarded the Windsor and Newton cash prize. ? 1952 Received trophy of Bombay Art Society, Bombay. ? He went to Paris as a Guest of Honour of the French Govt.

STYLE

Ara evolved his own style of Painting in oil and water colour medium. His still lifes and nude studies has a rave charm as far as colour scale and rendering skill were concerned. His art has always been intutive, imaginative, spontaneous and improvised and not deliberate and intellectual, intent on finding expression through studied and calculated means. This has produced in him a certain eclecticism, which is not really imitative or derivative, but has led him from style in a kind of rambling journey, more of a discovery than a search....

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