Painter, sculptor, muralist, K G Subramanyan was born in Kerala 1924, he studied under the tutelage of Benode Behari Mukherjee, Nandalal Bose and Ramkinkar Baij at Santiniketan. He graduated from Kala Bhavan, Visva Bharati University in 1948 after receiving his bachelor’s degree in economics from the Presidency College in Chennai
He was one of the leading artists who was a part of India’s post-Independence search for identity through art. A man of multifaceted aptitudes, Subramanyan demolished banners between artist and artisan. He experimented with weaving and toy-making. He also reinvested several mediums earlier used in Indian art. For example, the terracotta mural and glass painting found a new lease of life with his experiments. He believed in the value of Indian traditions and incorporated folklore, myth and local techniques and stories into his work.
The artist gave the human figure a new dimension. Drawing upon the rich resources of myth, memory and tradition, Subramanyan tempers romanticism with wit and eroticism.
A theoretician and art historian, Subramanyan has written extensively on Indian art. His writings have formed a foundation for the study of contemporary Indian art. He has also written some delightful fables for children and illustrated them. He has received the Kalidas Samman in 198 1, the Padma Shree in 1975, a D. Litt. (Honoris Causa) from the Rabindra Bharati University, Calcutta in 1992 and became a Fellow of Kerala Lalit Kala Akademi in 1993.
K G Subramanyan passed away on 29 June 2016 at the age of 92.
Education
1955-56 British Council Research Fellowship to Slade School of Art, University of London
1944-48 Kala Bhavan, Visva Bharati University, Santiniketan
1942-43 B.A.(Hons.) in Economics., Presidency College, Chennai
Solo shows
2010 Presented by Art Heritage at Triveni Kala Sangam, New Delhi
2010 'The Drawings of K. G. Subramanyan', The Guild, Mumbai
2010 'Bangladesh Drawings', Sakshi Gallery, Mumbai
2010 Art Musings, Mumbai
2009 'Magic of Making: Recent Artworks by K.G. Subramanyan', at Akar Prakar, Aakriti Art Gallery and The Seagull Foundation for the Arts, Kolkata
2009 Presented by Seagull Foundation for the Arts, in Collaboration with Nandan Gallery, Kala Bhavana, Kolkata
2007 ‘The Painted Platters’, The Guild Art Gallery, Mumbai
2007 ‘The Magic of Making’, presented by The Seagull Foundation for the Arts at The Seagull Arts and Media Resource Centre, Kolkata and Rabindra Bhawan, Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi
2006 Art Heritage, New Delhi
2006 Faculty of Fine Arts, Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Gujarat
2005 ‘Recent Paintings’, presented by Sakshi Gallery, Mumbai at Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai
2004 The Guild Art Gallery, Mumbai
2004 Vadehra Art Gallery, New Delhi
2003 ‘K.G. Subramanyan : A Retrospective’, National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), New Delhi and Mumbai
2003 ‘K.G. Subramanyan : Recent Paintings’, Art Heritage, New Delhi
2003 ‘Paintings in Enamel’, The Seagull Arts and Media Resource Centre, Kolkata
2003 ‘Chairs: An Exhibition of Recent Work’, The Seagull Arts and Media Resource Centre, Kolkata
2002 ‘Exhibition of Paintings by Prof. K.G. Subramanyan’, Sarjan Art Gallery, Vadodara, Gujarat
2001 Art Heritage, New Delhi
2000 ‘K.G. Subramanyan’, Vadehra Art Gallery, New Delhi
2000 Art Heritage, New Delhi
1999 The Seagull Arts and Media Resource Centre, Kolkata
1999 Sakshi Gallery, Mumbai
1999 Triveni Kala Sangam, New Delhi
1999 ‘K.G. Subramanyan – Dissolving Contradictions’, The Window, Mumbai
1998 ‘K.G. Subramanyan : Paintings and Drawings’, organized by Seagull Foundation for the Arts, Kolkata at Art Heritage, New Delhi
1998 ‘A Recent Series of Large Paintings by Prof. K.G. Subramanyan’, Art Heritage, New Delhi
1998 ‘K.G. Subramanyan : Paintings and Drawings’, Sakshi Gallery, Mumbai
1997 Nazar Gallery, Vadodara, Gujarat
1997 ‘K.G. Subramanyan’, Cymroza Art Gallery, Mumbai
1996 Art Heritage, New Delhi
1994 ‘Exhibition of Paintings by K.G. Subramanyan’, Sakshi Gallery, Mumbai
1994 ‘K.G. Subramanyan Recent Works’, Centre for International Modern Art (CIMA), Kolkata
1993 ‘Exhibition of Paintings by K.G. Subramanyan’, Sakshi Gallery, Mumbai
1993 Art Heritage, New Delhi
1992 ‘K.G. Subramanyan, Exhibition of Paintings’, Sakshi Gallery, Synergy Art Foundation, Bangalore and Chennai
1992 Art Heritage, New Delhi
1991 ‘Exhibition of Paintings by K.G. Subramanyan’, Kala Yatra and Sista’s Art Gallery, Bangalore, Karnataka
1990 Cymroza Art Gallery, Mumbai
1990 Gallery 7, Mumbai
1990 CCA Gallery, New Delhi
1989 Cymroza Art Gallery, Mumbai
1989 ‘Of Myth and Fairy Tale, Recent Works- K.G. Subramanyan’, Seagull Foundation and Birla Academy of Art and Culture, Kolkata
1988 ‘Exhibition of Acrylic Sheet Paintings’, Museum of Modern Art, Oxford
1986 ‘Exhibition of Acrylic Sheet Paintings’, Art Heritage, New Delhi
1986 Cymroza Art Gallery, Mumbai
1986 Gallery 7, Mumbai
1986 Centre for Contemporary Art Gallery, New Delhi
1985 Art Heritage, New Delhi
1984 ‘Retrospective’, Art Heritage, New Delhi
1983 ‘Retrospective K.G. Subramanyan’, Birla Academy of Art and Culture, Kolkata
1982 ‘Exhibition of Glass and Acrylic Sheet Paintings’, Art Heritage, New Delhi
1982 ‘Exhibition of Glass and Acrylic Sheet Paintings’, Nandan Gallery, Santiniketan, West Bengal
1981 ‘Retrospective’, Bharat Bhavan, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh
1980 Art Heritage, New Delhi
1979 ‘Exhibition of Prints’, Art Heritage, New Delhi
1978 ‘Exhibition of Terracotta Relief’s and Paintings’, Nandan Gallery, Santiniketan, West Bengal
1978 ‘Exhibition of Terracotta Relief’s’, Art Heritage, New Delhi
1972 ‘Exhibition of Terracotta Relief’s’, Kunika –Chemould, New Delhi
1971 ‘Exhibition of Polytichs’, Kunika –Chemould, New Delhi
1969 Gallery Chemould, Mumbai
1969 Kunika –Chemould, New Delhi
1967 Gallery Chemould, Mumbai
1967 Gallery Navina, New York
1966 Gallery Chemould, Mumbai
1962-63 Kunika Art Centre, New Delhi
1961 Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai
1959 Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai
1958 Delhi Silpi Chakra, New Delhi
1956 Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai
1955 Delhi Silpi Chakra, Freemason’s Hall, New Delhi
Selected Group Exhibitions
2012 'Contemporary: A Selection of Modern and Contemporary Art', prsented by Sakshi Gallery at The Park, Chennai
2011 'Adbhutam: Rasa in Indian Art', Centre of International Modern Art(CIMA), Kolkata
2011 'The Art of Drawing', The Guild Art Gallery, Mumbai
2011 'Pause: A Collection', Sakshi Gallery, Mumbai
2011 'High-Light', presented by Sakshi Gallery, Mumbai at The Oberoi, Gurgaon
2011 'Of Humour, Wit & Satire', Gallery Threshold, New Delhi
2010-11 'A Collection', Sakshi Gallery, Mumbai
2010 'The Living Insignia', Gallery Ensign, New Delhi
2010 'Modern Folk: The Folk Art Roots of the Modernist Avant-Garde', Aicon Gallery, New York
2009 'Think Small', Art Alive Gallery, New Delhi
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
2008 'Baroda: A Tale of Two Cities', (Part I), Sarjan Art Gallery, Vadodara, Gujarat
2008 'X at the rate of Jehangir', presented by Art Musings at Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai
2008 ‘Freedom 2008 : Sixty Years After Indian Independence’, Centre for International Modern Art (CIMA), Kolkata
2007 'Edge of Desire: Recent Art in India', National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), Mumbai
2006 ‘Shadow Lines’, Vadehra Art Gallery, New Delhi
2006 'Drawing Show an Act of Art II', Priyasri Art Gallery, Mumbai
2005 ‘Three Solo Exhibitions - K.G. Subramanyan, Manjit Bawa, Dhruva Mistry, organized by Sakshi Gallery at Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai
2005 ‘Remembering Bhupen’, Gallery Chemould, Mumbai
1996 Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai
1996 Art Heritage, New Delhi
1994 Centre for International Modern Art (CIMA), Kolkata
1993 ‘Seven Contemporary Indian Painters’, Vadehra Art Gallery, New Delhi
1992 'Journeys Within Landscapes', organized by Sakshi Gallery at Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai
1986 Grey Art Gallery, New York
Participations
2011 'Ethos V: Indian Art Through the Lens of History (1900 to 1980), Indigo Blue Art, Singapore
2011 'Roots in the Air, Branches Below: Modern & Contemporary Art from India', San Jose Museum of Art, San Jose
2011 'Time Unfolded', Kiran Nadar Museum of Art (KNMA), New Delhi
2010 'Master’s Corner', organized by Indian Contemporary Art Journal at Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai; India International Art Fair, New Delhi
2010 'Contemporary Printmaking In India', presented by Priyasri Art Gallery, Mumbai at Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai; Priyasri Art Gallery, Mumbai
2010 'National Printmaking Portfolio', Marvel Art Gallery, Ahmedabad
2010 'Roots', 25th Anniversary Exhibition of Sakshi Art Gallery, Mumbai at The Park, Chennai
2008-09 ''Modern India', organized by Institut Valencià d'Art Modern (IVAM) and Casa Asia, in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture at Valencia, Spain
2008 'Moderns', Royal Cultural Centre, Amman, Jordan organized by Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi in collaboration with Embassy of India, Amman, Jordan
2008 'Harvest 2008', organized by Arushi Arts at The Stainless Gallery, New Delhi
2007-08 'From Everyday To The Imagined: Modern Indian Art', Singapore Art Museum, Singapore and at Museum of Art, Seoul National University, Seoul
2006-07 ‘Edge of Desire: Recent Art in India’, National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), New Delhi and Mumbai
2006 ‘Cubism in Asia : Unbounded Dialogues’, The Singapore Art Museum, Singapore
2005 ‘Cubism in Asia : Unbounded Dialogues’, The National Museum of Contemporary Art, Korea
2005 ‘Cubism in Asia : Unbounded Dialogues’, The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo
2005 ‘Edge of Desire: Recent Art in India’, Queen’s Museum of Art, New York
2004 ‘Edge of Desire: Recent Art in India’, Art Gallery of Western Australia, Perth
2002 Art South Asia, Manchester
1998 ‘Tryst With Destiny: Art from Modern India 1947-97’, Singapore
1996 ‘Chamatkara: Myth and Magic in Indian Art’, Centre for International Modern Art (CIMA), Kolkata and London
1996 ‘Contemporary Indian Paintings’, Sotheby’s, New York
1995 ‘Seven Contemporary Indian Painters’, Gallery le Monde de l’Art, Paris, France
1988 ‘Festival of India’, Tokyo, Japan
1987 ‘Festival of India’, Moscow, USSR
1987 Coup de Coeur, Geneva
1987 Kala Yatra, Bangalore, Karnataka
1986 ‘Indian Aert from the Chester and Davida Herwitz Family Collection’, Hood Museum, Hanover, Massachusetts
1984 Kala Yatra, Bangalore, Karnataka
1983 ‘Six Indian Artists’, Tate Gallery and Royal Academy of Arts, London
1982 ‘India : Myth and Reality’, Museum of Modern Art, Oxford, UK
1982 ‘Six Indian Artists’, Tate Gallery, London
1982 ‘Contemporary Indian Art’, Royal Academy of Arts, London
1980 ‘Asian Artist’s Exhibition, Part II’, Japan
1980 ‘Indian Art’, Washington DC, USA
1980 ‘Indian Art Exhibition’, Tokyo
1979 Sao Paulo Biennale, Brazil
1979 ‘Asian Artist’s Exhibition, Part I’, Japan
1976 Mention Biennale, France
1975 3rd International Triennale, New Delhi
1971 ‘Indian Art’, Tehran, Iran
1968 1st International Triennale, New Delhi
1966 ‘Indian Art Exhibition’, Ghent, Belgium
1965 ‘Art Now in India’, Lanig Art Gallery, Newcastle
1965 Commonwealth Arts Festival, London
1965 ‘Ten Indian Artists’, South East Asia
1964 ‘Ten Indian Artists’, USA
1964 Exhibition of Textile Paintings, Mural, Woven Hangings, New York World Trade Fair, New York
1964 Tokyo Biennale, Japan
1961 Sao Paolo Biennale
1956 ‘Three Young Artists from Abroad’, Hitchin, UK
1953 ‘Indian Art Exhibition’, USA
Honours and Awards
2012 Padma Vibhushan by the Government of India
2006 Padma Bhushan, Government of India
2005 Lifetime Achievement Award, Academy of Fine Arts, Kolkata
2004 Lalit Kala Ratna Puraskar, Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi on the occasion of its Golden Jubilee
2001 Gana Krishti Puraskar, Kerala
2001 Manaviyam Ravi Varma Award, Government of Kerala
2000 Jadunath Sarkar Gold Medal, Asiatic Society, Kolkata
2000 Abanindra Puraskar, Kolkata
1999 Kala Ratna, All India Fine Arts and Crafts Society (AIFACS), New Delhi
1997 D. Litt (Honoris Causa), Benaras Hindu University, Varanasi
1994 Shiromani Puraskar, Kolkata
1993 Conferred Fellowship, Kerala Lalit Kala Academy, Kerala
1992 D. Litt (Honoris Causa), Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata
1991 Gagan – Aban - Puraskar, Visvabharati, Santiniketan
1985 Fellow, Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi
1980 Kalidas Sanman
1977-78 Visiting Fellow, Kala Bhavan, Visvabharati, Santiniketan
1975 Padma Shri, Government of India
1968 Gold Medal, First International Triennale, New Delhi
1966 Fellowship, J. D. Rockefeller III Fund, USA
1965 National Award for ‘Studio’, Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi
1961 Maharashtra State Award
1961 Medallion of Honorable Mention, Sao Paulo Biennale, Brazil
1959 Bombay Art Society, Mumbai
1957 Governor’s Prize, Bombay Art Society, Mumbai
1955-56 British Council Research Scholarship to Slade School of Art, UK