K.G.Subramanyan

Kalpathi Ganpathi Subramanyan was born in 1924 in a village in north Kerala, India. Subramanyan was a leading artist in India’s post-independence search for identity through art. He completed his Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the Presidency College in Chennai. While studying economics, K G Subramanyan got involved in the freedom struggle. Authorities imprisoned him and debarred him from government colleges.

His life changed when he joined Kala Bhavan in Santiniketan. He graduated in 1948. His mentors were Benode Behari Mukherjee, Nandalal Bose, and Ramkinkar Baij. In 1951, he became a lecturer at the Faculty of Fine Arts in M.S. University in Baroda. In 1956, the British Council gave him a scholarship to study at the Slade School of Art in London for a short time. In 1966, Subramanyan went to New York as a Rockefeller Fellow. There, a lack of space forced him to paint on smaller canvases. This led him to experiment with diptychs and triptychs. In 1980, Subramanyan went back to Santiniketan to teach painting at Kala Bhavan. He taught there until he retired in 1989. Then, he became a professor at Visva Bharati University.

The Life and Art of K G Subramanyan

Subramanyan’s works blend European Modernism with folk art. Subramanyan is a versatile artist. People know him as a painter, muralist, sculptor, printmaker, set designer, and toy maker.

He enjoyed painting women, children, objects, and animals. Then, in the sixties, he only painted still lifes. His paintings studied objects as forms. They had bright colors and abstract shapes. This changed with the shift to the terrace series in the seventies. Subramanyan’s prominent black lines recall the works of Pablo Picasso and F. N. Souza. K G Subramanyan paintings showcase sensual imagery and figures. They feature nightly backdrops and reflective faces. They also show a cubist influence. Using myths, memories, and traditions, Subramanyan blends romance with wit and eroticism. His writings have formed a foundation for the study of contemporary Indian art.

Icon of Modern Indian Art

In a career of nearly seven decades, K G Subramanyan’s works have been in over fifty solo shows. This includes a 2015-2016 exhibition by the Seagull Foundation for the Arts. It was a collaboration with the Jehangir Art Gallery in Mumbai and the Harrington Street Arts Centre in Kolkata. He has received many high-ranking awards for his achievements. They include the Medallion of Honorable Mention, the Biennale in Brazil, the Kalidas Samman, the Lalit Kala Academy’s National Award, the Abanindra Puraskar, and the Academy of Fine Arts’ Lifetime Achievement Award. K G Subramanyan has received India’s highest honors: the Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Vibhushan. They are for his contribution to Indian art.

Subramanyan resided in Baroda with his daughter during the later days of his life. The artist passed away in June 2016 at the age of 92.

Overview of Serigraph

Limited Edition Serigraph printed in 58 colours on paper. This serigraph was published in an edition size of 60. This item will be shipped unframed, in a roll. The paper size is 36 x 30 inch, Image size is 29 x 25 inch. The print is signed by the artist and comes with a certificate of authenticity.