R Magesh

My works are mainly derived from the notions about transcendence and transmigration, as in something always moving from one state to another, so it has been a quest to find a visual level of communication that would unite traces of our existence, I have become increasingly fascinated by how tenacious life is and yet how in a moment survival ceases.

The fragility of our existence is what I am trying to express through my works, I try to examine the complicated and chaotic ways in which life contracts, expands, converges and divests in our personal journeys, I seek to release my emotions and give respect to a life that has been fully lived.

The calm, serene landscapes interest’s me I feel it has this ability to shape us. It has the power to influence our behaviors, our emotions, and our memories. A place (the right place) can inspire awe. It can motivate its inhabitant to explore and get lost within it. It can also inspire a fear of the unknown and uncontrollable, reminding us that we are still at the mercy of the forces of nature.

Animals have always been a predominant part of my work, Sometimes its just the mere form of them is holy in a way, like they have this incredible power about them.

I am also interested in the qualities which each one of them possesses and how they co-relate with us humans.  For instance, the elk (deer), deer is one such animal which, throughout history has been seen as a prey (victim) animal, and it always remains as the “hunted” so in some way I feel the very helplessness of a victim is what I am trying to explore through these works, the very image of them staring at us makes one to question his own sensibilities, while being confronted before the image.

Born in 1987 in Chennai, India.

Qualification 

B.F.A (Painting) Govt. College of Fine Arts Chennai 2008 

M.V.A (Painting) (Gold Medal) from Faculty of Fine Arts M.S. University, Baroda 2012 

Exhibition (Solo show) 

MASKED REALITIES at Ashvita art gallery, Chennai 2010 

Exhibition (Group shows) 

"Art Mumbai, 2024 by Palette Art Gallery, Mumbai

"Tales/Tails of Imagination, at Palette art gallery, New Delhi 2024

“From Field to Frame”, at Conflictorium Museum, Ahmedabad, 2024

Con/temporality” curated by “The Arts Family London”, at gallery 079 stories , Ahmedabad, India. 2024

India Art Fair, 2024 by Palette art gallery, New Delhi

“Chennai Biennial” 2024, by Inko centre at Lalit Kala akademi, Chennai.

"Busan International Art fair", South Korea 2023, by Inko centre, India

“Indo Korea exchange Exhibition at Jeju Island” South Korea, 2023 by Inko centre, India

"The Baroda Annuelle" 2023, at the Gallery White, Baroda

"Art Mumbai" 2023 , by Palette art gallery

“The Far Edge of the Frowning Forest” 2023, at Gallery Splash, Gurgaon

"India Art Fair" 2023, by Palette art gallery, New Delhi

"Mind Medium Material" 2022, at gallery 079 Stories , Ahmedabad

"A Melange" 2022 , at palette art gallery, New Delhi

“India Art Fair" 2022, by Palette art gallery,  New Delhi

“62nd National Exhibition of Art” 2022, Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi

“Imagining a Forest” 2022, at Conflictorium Museum of Conflicts, Raipur

“From where all that sweat” 2022, at Amuseum Gallery of Modern Art, Trivandrum

Fragments of Imagination 2021, at Palette Art Gallery,  New Delhi

"Traversing into insights" 2020 , at Gallery Sumukha , Bangalore

"India Art Fair" 2020 , by Palette art gallery , New Delhi

"Persistence of Memory" at Gallery Art Positive , New Delhi 2019

“Songs of Soil” at Palette art gallery , New Delhi 2019

“India Art Fair” , By Palette art gallery , New Delhi 2019

“Imagining a Forest” at Conflictorium museum, Ahmedabad 2018

“Everything is Black and White” , at Palette art gallery, New Delhi 2018

India Art Fair 2014 - 2018, by Palette art gallery, New Delhi

Long Story Short  at Palette art gallery, New Delhi 2017

Lucid Dream at Sakshi gallery, Mumbai 2017

Inaugural show 2016, Nazar art gallery, Baroda

‘India Art Fair 2015’ by Palette art gallery, New Delhi 

‘VAD Fest 2015’, Back to College, at Faculty of Fine Arts, M.S.U Baroda 

Art Fair at “The Oberoi” by Palette art gallery, New Delhi 2014 

“Break out” a group show at Red Earth gallery, Baroda 2013 

“Art Chennai” at The Grand Hyatt by Ashvita art gallery, Chennai 2013 

“Intimate Divine” a group show at Ashvita art gallery, Chennai 2013 

“Art Makers Circa 2012” at gallery Exhibit 320, New Delhi 

“Visual Discourse” 2012 at Ludhiana by gallery Exhibit 320 

“Ashvita artist’s residency programme” 2011 at Ashvita gallery, Chennai 

“Art Chennai” a group show at Ashvita art gallery and at Taj Coromandel, Chennai 2010 

“platform 15” 2009 group show at Contemporary art space, New Delhi 

“platform 15” 2009 group show at Chitrakala Parishath, Bangalore 

“platform 15” 2008 group show at Lalit Kala Academy, Chennai 

“Tadpoles” 2007 group show at Vinnyasa art gallery, Chennai 

“Tadpoles” 2007 group show at Chitrakala Parishath, Bangalore 

“Tadpoles” 2006 group show at Lalit Kala Academy, Chennai 

Scholarship and Awards 

Post Graduation Gold medal in Painting from the M.S. University, Baroda 2012 

Residential grant Lalit Kala Academy 2010 

Best Artist Award Sarjan Art gallery, Baroda 2012 

Camps and Residencies 

“VARIATIONS” National level camp at Chennai 2007 

Tamil Nadu State level camp at Chennai 2008 

“VARIATIONS” National level camp at Patna 2008 

“Ashvita’s Artist’s Residency Programme” 2011