chronology

EXHIBITIONS

MILESTONES

OTHER

2018

|
arth – art for earth
by
manav gupta

at Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts
Ministry of Culture, Govt of India
11, Man Singh Road, New Delhi 110011

A private prototype of the permanent museum of clay and water
at Amrita Shergill Marg, New Delhi.

World’s first ever Travelling Museum of Public Art for Sustainable Development.

A pioneering innovation of transforming  rural craft of quintessentially Indian clay pottery into a cutting edge global language of contemporary art as environmental art installations over 23 acres of Lutyen’s Delhi.

Avant garde vision translated as ‘rain’ embracing trees and the ‘Ganga waterfront’ embracing the ‘matighar’ architecture to nurture them as a metaphorical message of
‘our city needs the river, we need our trees.’

Revisiting India’s ‘Chipko’ Movement.

Dialogues at the waterfront. Conceptualised Curated and Choreographed by the artist.
A unique call to all stakeholders of society in the city for a discourse to find transforming solutions for sustainable living.

‘Rain’ – Global launch 

AWARDS & DISTINCTIONS,

ADVISORY ROLE TO GOVT OF INDIA

Listed by FINANCIAL TIMES as one of the ten young Indian artists whose works would fetch good returns.
Youngest members nominated by Govt of India on the Expert Committee for the National Republic Day celebrations.
Member of formative Advisory Committee on Museum of Natural History, Govt of India.
Limca Book of Records National Record 2012 for unique mega project of five floor high 3D mural deploying multiple processes.
Sanatan Sangeet Puraskar awarded by French ambassador to India, Rotary award for most creative young artist.
Honored by Women‟s International, New Delhi besides other honors, accolades and distinguished recognitions.

2017

|

|The museum experience in a mall.
Yamuna Project. DLF, Mall of India.
Hailed as a ‘Solo Biennale’

Rain – International Premiere – Private edition. 


Museum in a Mall

Mega outreach on DLF Mall of India’s invitation
‘maano to main ganga maa hoon,
na mano to beheta paani’
(If you consider me sacred I’m pure,
else mere water that flows)

Painting Donation for Water Health Charity auction USA

TALKS|LECTURES

universities, institutions.
TEDx Talk on “Desire and Destiny”.
Lectures, Talks, at the San Jose State University, CA, U.S.A., International Cultural Diplomacy Institute, Berlin, Nehru Centre London, Indian
Embassy, Berlin, Bank Muscat, Oman, Bank of India, New York, HSBC, New Delhi, on varied themes including “Green Entrepreneurship and
Sustainability” on creative ways to promote environmental awareness in Society, Models evolved by the artist and implemented in his art practices –
innovative ways ahead.”Beyond boundaries – the non limiting horizons”. Building bridges between people through Public and collaborative Art
practices.
Art Appreciation, Team building and creativity workshops
Maruti Suzuki India and many other corporates along with various colleges and schools in India and other venues

2015-2016

|
Travelling trilogy, Edition IV
United States

USA
Ganga to Missisippi
Research Talks Lectures, Dialogues
at Forecast Public Art,
Minneapolis College of Art & Design.
Artist’s three month  research and exploration of cities
nurtured by rivers along Missisippi and the Hudson
at  Minneapolis, Des Moines, New York
along with explorations at Washington DC and Miami.

The Ganga Waterfront
along Time Machine
India Habitat Centre, New Delhi
Engagement with space and architecture

The River & the Fort
Old Fort Dance Festival
Invited by Delhi Government
Engagement with dance and architecture

WORKS SOLD AT PUBLIC AUCTIONS / SALE
by
Chr
istie’s, London (September 2010)
Philip de Pury, London (October 2010)
Bonham’s, London (October 2008)
Bonham’s, London (June 2007)
Christie’s, New Delhi (December 2006)
besides auctions across the globe of works created LIVE out of ‘jugalbandis’ (collaborative – translation performances) (2002-2012)

2013 – 2014


South Africa

unsung hymns of clay | the shrinking river | rainforests and the circle of life

Hosted by National Museum Pretoria,
Indian High Commission
&
Incredible India.

|Exhibition extended to Cape Town, Grahams Town by Lovell Gallery.

Travelling trilogy, Edition III
South Africa, USA, Europe, South East Asia

Time Machine, A first of it’s kind Hour Glass.
Commissioned 20ft High Canvases – Umbilical Cords Series
WorldmarkAerocity, IGI Airport, New Delhi
Permanent collection.

arth – art for earth,
the artist’s brainchild, takes shape in clay.
World’s first ever redeployment of pottery
into avant garde installations.

Extended as BRICS Summit outreach
Lectures at UNISA & Pretoria University.

Four records in the 2013 edition of LIMCA BOOK OF RECORDS

Seminal canvas on 100 years of Indian Cinema commissioned by Pratham, London
Live performance of the artist’s pioneering concept of Jugalbandi at the Pratham Gala London on September 28, 2013

SELECT CORPORATE COLLECTIONS & SPONSORS
Airtel, Bausch & Lomb, DuPont, Aditya Birla Group, Bank of India, New York, Facet Books, New York,
ebookers, London, Bank Muscat, Oman, Bahwan Engineering Group, Oman, Khimji Ramdas LLC, Oman, Saud Bahwan Group, Al Ansari Group,
Suhail Bahwan Group, Oman , HITACHI, Singapore, Jindal Steel, HSBC, H.D.F.C., ICICI, Allahabad Bank, Bharti Teletech, ONGC, Indian Oil
Corporation Ltd, HPCL, Bharat Petroleum, Amity Group, Motorola, Modi Telstra, Reckitt Benckiser, I.T.C, Electrolux, Maruti Udyog Ltd, Dabur,
Reebok, Bharti Business, Gujarat Ambuja, ICI, Eveready, BOC, Pepsi, Kribhco, The Taj Group of Hotels, The Kenilworth Group, The Park, Kolkata,
HHI, Kolkata, Peerless Group, Crompton Greeves, Nicco Group, Philips, Vardhman Group etc

 2011-2012

First of its kind Indo Bhutan Friendship Mega Mural A suite of six 18 ft and 12 ft high canvasses. Commissioned by the Ministry of External Affairs, Govt of India. Conceptualizing and depicting an archival documentation of Indo–Bhutan relations, now installed at the BIFA Museum, Bhutan.PERMANENT COLLECTION: BIFA MUSEUM , BHUTANAUCTION-SALE : Christie’s, LONDON(Sept 2010).AUCTION -SALE : Philip de Pury, LONDON (Oct 2010)PERFORMANCE ART LIVE on stage with contemporary dance troupe in IOWA

CURATED / GROUP SHOWS SELECT PARTICIPATION
India Art Summit(New Delhi),Art Expo(Mumbai),Asia House, London, Victoria Jones, London, Facet Books, New York, Rashtrapati Bhawan,New
Delhi, British High Commission, Lalit Kala Akademi, British High Commissioner‟s Residence, Bulgarian Embassy, Finnish Embassy, Italian
Embassy, Bajaj Art Capital Art Advisory Services, Continuum, Habitat world inaugural show, World Wildlife Fund of India, International Tolerance
Day Initiative by United Nations, Chitrakala Parishad,Bangalore, Leela Palace, Bangalore, Studio for contemporary Art, Montage Arts/Raro, Uruswati
Gallery, Art Camp: Eminent Artists, VHAI & IHC: Delhi Artists for Gujarat, Uruswati Art Gallery ,Spring Show, Art Today, Uruswati Art Gallery, Annual
Show, Art Today, Black & White Show, Art Indus/Lalit Kala Academy: Leading watercolorists, VHAI-Their story: Indian artists interpretations, Arushi
Arts, India Habitat Centre: Art &Cinema, Art Junction, Inter Continental Hotel, New Delhi. Kala Melas, Birla Academy of Art &Culture, Kolkata,
Academy of Fine ARTS, Annual Exhibitions among others at national and International levels

2010

Travelling trilogy, U.S.A., Europe, Edition II

Paintings & Installations, Films, Performance Art & Public collaborations.

Amherst, M.A., New York,  Des Moines, Iowa, San Francisco, C.A., Berlin, Germany and London, U.K.

Talks / Lecture demonstrations

at San Jose State University, Cultural Diplomacy Institute, Berlin and other venues.

First of its kind largest indoor staircase mega mural with FOUR DIFFERENT MULTIPLE PROCESSES OF CONCEPTUAL, SITE SPECIFIC, COLLABORATIVE AND PERFORMANCE ART IN THE CREATION METHODOLOGY. Conceptualised and created a five floor high 11000 sq ft three dimensional monumental staircase indoor mural, painting LIVE for three months in front of 3500 employees, involving thousands of people to put strokes and idioms in the first phase and then weaving it all in the next phase to create a multi layered 3D-2D  composition.PERMANENT COLLECTION, Airtel Campus, New Delhi NCR: Site given Museum status by Limca Book of Records

PERMANENT PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
Indian Parliament, The President of India,(Rashtrapati Bhawan)Permanent Collection, Brahmos Museum, New Delhi
BIFA Museum, Bhutan (mega mural depicting Indo Bhutan relations),
Chitrakala Parishad, Permanent Gallery,Bangalore, Birla Academy of Art & Culture, Permanent Gallery, Kolkata,
Royal Household Permanent Gallery Collection, Oman, Jindal Flag Foundation, Delhi
Bharti Airtel Campus first of its kind five floor high mural (now designated as an art museum site by Limca Book of Records, 2012,
Indian Embassies and numerous private collections in India and abroad 

2009

First Indian artist to be invited for inaugural preview at ICCR (Indian Council for Cultural Relations) post the newly renovated Gallery, New Delhi, for the artist’s curtain raiser on Climate Change – a trilogy to US and Europe.

Commissioned by CNN-IBN for the “COPENHAGEN WALL OF HOPE” exclusive painting by the artist in response to climate change .Commissioned by Jindal Flag Foundation for depicting the Indian Flag translating nationalism and Mahatma Gandhi as metaphors.

SPECIAL COMMISSIONS & COLLABORATIONS

Commissioned by former President of India, Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and Penguin India, for a four year project of engaging his art with Dr. Kalam‟s
poetry published as a book by Penguin Viking “THE LIFE TREE”, Also in other publications.(Project Period: 2002-2005)
Comissioned by many authors and poets for engagement of the artist‟s works with their poems, text and book covers including Ms Shiela Gujral and
Allied Publishers for two complete books: Haiku poems and children‟s poetry respectively.
Commissioned by Times of India and Amity Foundation for two specially conceived works on Leadership as awards to leading industrialists Mr.
Kumarmangalam Birla and corporate head Mr. K.V.Kamath now in their permanent collection. (2002)
Commissioned by Hitachi, Singapore for a curated Limited Edition screen savers for premiere plasma screens. (2007)
Commissioned by Jindal Flag Foundation for a special work on the Indian Flag, the artist translated the nationalism storyline with Mahatma Gandhi
as the protagonist on canvas. : as inspiration from the Indian Independence struggle, (2009)
Specific Corporate Social Responsibility communication design conceptualization for BIMTECH 2010-2011

2007

Travelling trilogy, Edition I, Middle East. Omani Fine Art‟s Society, Muscat,Oman and other venues

PERMANENT COLLECTION, ROYAL HOUSEHOLD, OMAN

AUCTION -SALE : Bonham’s, LONDON (June,2007),

PERFORMANCE ART CONCERT SERIES transforming leading performing artistes oeuvre on canvas LIVE on stage

with Anup Jalota

with Rahul Sharma, Rakesh Chaurasia & Vijay Ghate.

with  Contemporary Dance Troupe &

musicians with special needs.

Commissioned by Hitachi, Singapore for a Limited Edition Copyright of works for premiere plasma screens curated by Renu Rana

PERFORMANCE ART COLLABORATIVE TRANSLATIONS
Pioneer of performance art LIVE on stage as “jugalbandi” (collaborative translation of performing artist‟s oeuvre) where the artist
paints in sync with eminent musician, vocalists, dancers, dramatists to create an interpretation of their performance including
Dr L.Subramaniam, (Violin)
Anup Jalota, (Vocals), Shubha Mudgal, (Vocals),
Gen next musicians Rahul Sharma, (Santoor), Vijay Ghatke, (Percussion), Rajesh Chaurasia (Flute),
Pratibha Pralhad (Kathak), Ballet performers, Contemporary dance, IndianClassical, Egyptian Folk Dance, Western Jazz etc 2002 -2012

The stage – a canvas: conceptual choreography “a confluence of poetry, painting, music, dance, sound, light and color with live art
Leela Palace Bangalore,(2002) Des Moines, IOWA,(2010) Muscat ,Oman(2007) Conceptualized in 2002 ;Productions in 2002,2007,2010
and coming up in 2013
Site specific Marathon three month unique collaborative performance art as a “Tree of Life‟ project.
Awarded Limca Book of Records certificate 2012 for the performance art innovation as one of the processes.
Audio and visual intersections with self composed poems and mono-acting performances since 1988 at variable locations,
spaces and digital, radio and television media

2006

Private Showing London,

Finnish Embassy, New Delhi

AUCTION -SALE : Christie’s, New Delhi December (2006),

PERMANENT COLLECTION, RASHTRAPATI BHAWAN

PERFORMANCE ART LIVE on stage in “jugalbandi” with Dr L.Subramaniam.

Sanatan Puraskar awarded by French Ambassador to India

POETRY
Poems published in numerous anthologies, poetry journals and other publications including the landmark Indo British Journal released at the
London Book Fair in 1988 where the artist poet featured as the only young poet in agalaxy of stalwarts and „Navankur‟, a book as an awarded
anthology to the artist poet for standing second in Kolkata poetry competition.
Short films with poetry and animations of text calligraphy.
Has served on the Executive body of the Poetry Club of India and other bodies

2005

Victoria Jones, London,

Facet Books, New York,

Lalit Kala Academy, New Delhi

ENVIRONMENT CONSCIOUSNESS AS PUBLIC ART PROJECTS

FIRST OF ITS KIND ONE MINUTE FILMS where the artist deployed his paintings, poetry, music, voice over to conceptualise and create public service messages for television on climate change, sustainable development, ecosystems, alternate energy.

Commissioned by Ministry of Environment & Forests, Govt. of India.

2004

The Rashtrapati Bhawan, (President of India‟s House), India

2003

The Park Hotel, Delhi, for the artist‟s exposition on environment consciousness

Commissioned by former President of India, Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and Penguin India, for engaging his art with Dr. Kalam’s poetry on myriad themes later published as a book by Penguin Viking “THE LIFE TREE”, Also in other publications.(Project Period: 2002-2005)

2002

The Leela Palace, Bangalore, HSBC New Delhi, India International Centre, New Delhi

Invited by the former President of India, Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam to translate “A National Prayer” as a painting.

AUCTION of work created out of LIVE “jugalbandis”

Translating Leadership as a concept on canvas:

Commissioned by Times of India and Amity Foundation for two specially conceived works on leadership conceptualised by the artist  as awards to Mr. Kumarmangalam Birla and Mr. K.V.Kamath now in their permanent collection.

2001

The Roosevelt House, U.S. Ambassador‟s residence,New Delhi

PERMANENT COLLECTION, US AMBASSADOR TO INDIA Expert Committee member, National Republic Day CelebrationsYoungest member on formative advisory panel on Museum of Natural History, Government of India

2000

Dep. of Culture, H.R.D. Ministry, Govt of India,

Youngest member to be nominated on Expert Committee, National Republic Day Celebrations

1999

The Taj Palace, Delhi

“india awaiting – TIMELESS METAPHORS OF DREAMS ” interpretations and paintings by MANAV GUPTA hosted by the Taj Palace, New Delhi

1997

The Taj Bengal, Kolkata

“seeing the unseen”  single edition, sculptures and installations out of discarded roots and tree trunks creating functional sculptures alongside the contemporary miniatures ‘earth series”

1996

Birla Academy of Art & Culture, Kolkata

PERMANENT COLLECTION, BIRLA ACADEMY OF ART & CULTURE

TRAINED IN KOLKATA at the Academy of Fine Arts under Mr. Rathin Maitra and under his guru Mr. Vasant Pandit, the artist now lives and paints out of New Delhi NCR, India