MAITREYI KAR Born: 15th Dec1968
Details regarding art education: Studied BVA from Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata Five years advanced course from College of Visual Arts, Kolkata
Exhibitions held till date - solo / group: 2007 A Group Show & Auction Presented by Embassy of Finland & Lions Club, New Delhi. 2007 “Colours of Creativity”A Group Show at the Lagoon Club, Ambience Island presented by Art Laureate, Gurgaon. 2007 “Ganesh Janani”Group Show at Samakal art Galerry, Kolkata. 2007 “Tribute to Durga”Group Show at Artland Gallery, Kolkata. 2007 “Encore” Group Show at Visual Art Gallery, Habitat World sponsored by Disability of India. New Delhi. 2007 “Charity Brings Blessing” Group Show at Studio Vasant, New Delhi. 2005 National Exhibition at Lucknow (47th National Exhibition of Art, Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi) 2004 Group Show Lalit Kala Akademi. 2004 Group show at north gallery, Academy of Fine Arts. Kolkata 2003 8th Harmony Show at Nehru Center, Mumbai. 2003 Group Show at Hyatt Regency Hotel, sponsored by Damayanti’s Gallery, Delhi. 2003 Group Show (Indian artists) Borowski gallery at Germany. 2002 “PRAKRITI” Group show at Habiart gallery by five women artists (Arpana Kaur, Gogi Saroj Pal, Jayasri Burman, Sipra Bhattacharya & Maitreyi) sponsored by Habiart Gallery. 2002 Group show by Vivant art gallery, New Delhi 2002 Group show at Hyatt Regency Hotel, New Delhi 2002 “PERFECT SYNERGY” group show at habiart gallery organized in collaboration with Genesis Art Gallery, Kolkata. 2002 Group show by four artists at Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi. 2002 Group show at Damayanti’s Gallery, New Delhi. 2002 “GEMS OF BENGAL”Group show at Gallery Vintage, New Delhi. 2000 Exhibition at Time and Space, Bangalore. 2000 Two-person show (sponsored by IIC) at India International Center Gallery, New Delhi. 2000 Exhibition at ITC classic golf resort (sponsored by Mirage Art Gallery, New Delhi) 2000 IFACS Millennium show, New Delhi 2001“SHAKTI”sponsored by Habiart Gallery, New Delhi 2001 “JUST ANOTHER DAY” group show at AIFACS New Delhi 1999 Exhibition for Kargil Heroes, New Delhi 1988All India Annual Art Exhibitions at Birla Academy of Fine Arts, Kolkata 1988All India Exhibition of Oriental Society of Art, Kolkata 1988Inaugural ceremony of Arts-Acre, Kolkata 1986-91 Mid summer exhibitions of Academy of Fine Arts, Kolkata 1986-91 All India Annual Art Exhibitions at Academy of Fine Arts Kolkata etc.
Awards won:
Awarded for Inter University stamp design competition, Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata 1986 Certificate of merit from College of Visual Arts, Kolkata 1988
Art Camps attended:
All India painters camp of “The Art”at Barog(H.P.) 2007. All India Painters Camp of “Art Mall”at Simla(H.P.) 2007. All India Painters Camp’2007,Osso Resort at Dehradoon. Summer Vista Camp organized by “Ashoka Hotel” New Delhi’2007. National Art Camp at Platinum Water Resort, Presented by “The Art Mall”2007. National Camp Organized by “Bengal Association”New Delhi at Pragati Maidan 2001-2004.
List of collectors in whose collection my paintings are:
Egypt (Private collection & Indian Embassy) Australia, Switzerland, Germany, India (Sony India Ltd. Siemens Electronics & Telecom. India Ltd.)etc.
Artist statement:
Why are my subjects’ women? Because beauty excites me, I like to see transformations, diversity, the layers covering the vulnerable paleness of a female arm, or tender mat luster of flesh; the skin's translucence beneath a film of gauze draping a body. It might as well be the ultramarine of the night sky and the whiteness of the stars. It would be the emerald of riverweeds in a garden on a foggy morning...Tiny drops of dew on the sedge. My brush does not just move about the surface, it carefully penetrates the space of another dimension, going beyond the frontier - which is insurmountable to anyone else. There truly is space and life behind that fragile margin, as in a mirror. Of these space and life forms I express my daily chronicles, of their everyday life and feasts. And - of women who belong there". Working with the female form, my paintings are about metamorphoses, where shapes and colors subtly fuse, creating a sensual atmosphere upon the canvas. Within these transformations is an exploration of women's relationships, with each other, with men, and with themselves. The forms push and pull, intimating questions about women and hinting toward the tensions that can exist between beauty, image and society. Tension and metamorphoses are expressed in a dream-like vision of modulating color and shadowed figures. Me at times seem hypnotized by my own muse, yet am able to represent the beauty, power and mystery of the female body and mind. Often based upon mythological themes, my scenes have an exotic and sensual magnetism. Sinuous lines, serpentine forms, sensual color and rhythms combine to create a dynamic energy. My greatest influences have been my mother, Abanindranath Tegore, Klimt, which is evident in my paintings. I have also been greatly inspired by the urban fantasy stories, haunting music of Rabindranath Tegore. Most of my paintings begin with an idea, sometimes just the tiniest spark of an idea. It can be triggered by a word heard in passing, a book I might be reading, a song, movie, or the work of another artist. Sometimes a painting begins with nothing more than an interesting pose. I like to keep it in mind all of my ideas. When I have an image in my head, I start to draw. Sometimes what I start out envisioning is not what I end up with. I drawing can take many different paths before it's completed. There are no rules-anything goes. I rarely do preliminary sketches. Occasionally, if the idea I have is too unformed in my mind, I will spend thirty minutes or so sketching out the main character. Usually, I start drawing directly on the canvas. Each aspect of a painting involves a gradual build up of colors. I prefer to paint simple pieces, with a strong, single character. I feel a simple image has more emotion. “The novel tells a story… That is the highest factor common to all novels, and I wish that it was not so, that it could be something different – melody or perception of truth". In this seemingly irrelevant quote what E.M.Forster wished in a novel I aim at in painting. How far I succeed, I can’t say! Maitreyi Kar
Email: [email protected] [email protected]
