The Art World Mourns Over the Loss of a Great Indian Artist: Badri Narayan

Elisabetta Marabotto of Saffronart shares a note on the loss of a great artist: Badri Narayan

Badri Narayan, Kukkuta Jataka, 1987

Badri Narayan, Kukkuta Jataka, 1987. Image Credit: http://www.saffronart.com/auctions/PostWork.aspx?l=8506

“Narration comes to me naturally, I have been fond of telling stories since my childhood.”

London: In the early hours of Monday morning, Badri Narayan passed away in a hospital in Bangalore at the age of 84.

Narayan had a successful career not only as an artist and illustrator but also as an art teacher.

The artist is mostly known for his narrative and symbolic paintings. He drew heavily from Indian mythology and metaphors and acknowledged the influence of the Indian miniature tradition in his works. The artist believed in the two-dimensionality of painting, and preferred to work in a smaller format; one that he found practical and well suited for the watercolours that have been his preferred medium for several years. Narayan had also worked with etchings, woodcuts and ceramics and illustrated some children’s books.

Narayan exhibited his works for the first time at the Hyderabad Art Society in 1954 and since then he had more than 50 solo shows.

His creativity will definitely be missed.

Bal Chhabda passes away silently…

Bal ChhabdaTarika Agarwal of Saffronart discuss the life left behind by famous artist and collector Bal Chhabda

Mumbai: Born in 1923, in what is now Pakistan, Bal Chhabda was a self-taught artist. Sadly, he passed away in the second week of March this year. He was a man who wore many hats. He started his career with film making but soon gave that up and founded the well-known gallery in Mumbai, Gallery 59. Soon after, Chhabda took to painting as well. And not much later he started collecting art.

Bal Chhabda with M F Husain --Image Credit TOI

Bal Chhabda with M F Husain
Image Credit:The Times of India

After the demise of his wife, and his good friends Tyeb Mehta and M.F. Husain in a span of three years, it is a well known fact that Chhabda lost his will to live and became a recluse.

At first glance, Chhabda’s work seems abstract, but on closer inspection it reveals various distorted shapes and forms that create intriguing visuals. He was one of the distinguished artists associated with the Progressive Artist’s Group, which made a tremendous contribution to the modern art movement in India by consciously seeking new idioms. The group included almost all the important artists working in Mumbai in the 1950s. Read more about his practice.

Bal Chhabda, Sitting Nude, 1969Oil on Canvas

Bal Chhabda, Sitting Nude, 1969
Oil on Canvas
Image credit: http://www.contemporaryindianart.com/bal_chhabda.htm

He participated in several exhibitions in India and internationally including Salon de la Jeune Peinteure, Paris, and the Tokyo Biennale, in 1960. He received the Governor’s award, one of the three major awards, at the Tokyo Biennale in 1961. He has also participated in the exhibition, Seven Indian Painters at Gallerie Le Monde de U Art, Paris, 1994.

Read more.

Bal Chhabda, Nostalgic Moments, 1993Oil on Canvas

Bal Chhabda, Nostalgic Moments, 1993
Oil on Canvas
Image Credit- http://www.contemporaryindianart.com/bal_chhabda.htm