Laxman Pai View Artworks of Laxman Pai Back to Artist

For him, all beauty in its myriad manifestations was an unending source of inspiration. And it is this natural beauty that became the prism through which he explored a supreme spiritual consciousness in his works. For him, art was pure spiritual expression, fired by the soul, untouched by ideology and commentary of any kind. 

LaximanPai  was born in 1926 in Margao, Goa. He studied art at the Sir J.J. School of Art in Mumbai from 1943 to 47. He was awarded the prestigious Mayo medal. Laxman Pai has had over a hundred solo exhibitions , of these nine have ben in Paris where he worked for 10 years ( 1951-61). His other exhibitions have been in London, Munich , Stuttgart, Bremen, New York, San Francisco, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, New Delhi, Bombay, Calcutta and Goa. He has also participated in Bribable San Paulo, Brazil. Laxman Pai has been a recipient of three Lalit Kala national awards (1961, 1963 & 1972).  He was awarded the prestigious Padma Shri by the government of India in 1985.

        His canvases are densely populated with nature in all her moods, and his human characters are always depicted in relation with their environment. All of Pai's art is a reflection of his impressions and it is free from any commentary. Most of his work is based on chance encounters and experiences that have left a mark on his mind be it good or evil. His earlier paintings borrowed generously from ancient Egyptian sculptures with bodies that were portrayed front on with the faces in profile. The vibrant hues that are so characteristic of his art got bolder and brighter with each painting reminiscent of the miniatures of early Indian artA painter who does not like dull colours, Pai has created a body of work that is as diverse and colourful as life itself. Pai had his exhibition of selected works last year in Dhoomimal Art Gallery.

Education  

  1951 Ecole des Beaux Arts, Paris

  1943-47 Diploma in Painting, Sir J.J .School of Art, Mumbai

Exhibitions  

Selected Solo Exhibitions  

  2006 ‘Pai in Paris – Early Works’, Delhi Art Gallery, New Delhi

 2005 ‘My Family Tree and Flowering Tree’, Dhoomimal Art Gallery, New Delhi

  2001 ‘Tree of Life and Spring Flowers’, Fresco Gallery, Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi

  2001 ‘Srinagar Faces – 2000’, Dhoomimal Art Gallery, New Delhi

  2001 Rabindra Bhavan, Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi

  2000 ‘Recent Paintings by Laxman Pai’, Dhoomimal Art Gallery, New Delhi

  1999 ‘My Search, My Evolution’, Kalart Gallery, San Francisco, USA

  1998 ‘Kaama-Krodha-Moha-Moksha Series’, Dhoomimal Art Gallery, New Delhi

  1997 ‘Kaarma and Fantasies Series’, Dhoomimal Art Gallery, New Delhi

 1995 ‘Jeevanotsav Series’, Dhoomimal Art Gallery, New Delhi

  1995 ‘Jeevanotsav Series Show - Retrospective’, Rabindra Bhavan, Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi

  1994 ‘Purush Prakriti in Kamasutra’, Dhoomimal Art Gallery, New Delhi

  1993 ‘Festival of Seasons’, Shridharani Gallery, New Delhi

  1991 ‘Navrasa Series’, Shridharani Gallery, New Delhi

  1989 ‘Faces and Flowers’, Dhoomimal Art Gallery, New Delhi

  1989 ‘Navarasa’, Shridharani Gallery, New Delhi

  1987 Chetna Art Gallery, Mumbai

  1985 ‘Images of Goa’, Dhoomimal Art Gallery, New Delhi

  1983 ‘Rajasthan Series’, Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai

  1982 Organized by Institute Menezes Braganza, Institute Gallery, Panaji, Goa

  1981 Organized by Institute Menezes Braganza, Institute Gallery, Panaji, Goa

  1981 Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai

  1979 Organized by Institute Menezes Braganza, Institute Gallery, Panaji, Goa

  1979 Dhoomimal Art Gallery, New Delhi

  1977 Max Mueller Bhavan, Mumbai

  1976 Dhoomimal Art Gallery, New Delhi

  1975 ‘Kangra Valley’, Kumar Gallery, New Delhi

  1973 ‘Human Forms Series’, Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai

  1972 ‘Ramayana 1971’, Taj Art Gallery, Mumbai

  1971 Kumar Gallery, New Delhi

  1970 Meyer Gallery, Singapore

  1970 National Art Gallery, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

  1970 Silpakorn University, in association with Indian Embassy, Bangkok

  1970 Kumar Gallery, New Delhi

  1968 Shridharani Gallery, New Delhi

  1968 ‘Dance Forms’, Taj Art Gallery, Mumbai and Kolkata

  1967 ‘Dance Forms and Selection 1947-67’, All India Fine Arts and Crafts Society (AIFACS), New Delhi

  1966 ‘Purusha and Prakriti’, Shridharani Gallery, New Delhi and Mumbai

  1966 ‘Kashmir Portraits’, Gallery Chemould, Mumbai

  1965 ‘Kashmir Portraits’, Dhoomimal Art Gallery, New Delhi

  1965 ‘Musical Moods’, paintings inspired by Indian Ragas, Kunika Art Centre, New Delhi and Taj Art Gallery, Mumbai

  1964 Shridharani Gallery, New Delhi

  1964 Taj Art Gallery, Mumbai

  1963 ‘Ritusamhara’, inspired by Kalidasa’s play based on English Text by the late Ranjit Pandit, Raj Bhavan and Roopa Art Gallery, Mumbai

  1962 Kunika Art Centre, New Delhi

  1961 ‘Exhibition of Paintings on Silk’, Boulevard Maleshebes, Paris

  1961 ‘Le Printemps’, Galerie d’ Arts, Paris

  1960 ‘La Vie De Bouddha’, Galerie du Colisee, Paris

  1959 Galerie Dauphine, Paris

  1959 ‘The Life of the Buddha’, exhibition of Colored Etching Series, Palais Dauphine, Paris and St. George’s Gallery, London

  1958 ‘Ramayana and Life of Mahatma Gandhi’, Galerie de l’ Alliance, Mumbai and New Delhi

  1957 Palais Dauphine, Paris.

  1957 Galerie Gurlitt, Munich.

  1956 `Images de Goa`, Galerie Prismes, Rue Monsieur Le Prince, Paris Le Prince, Paris.

  1955 Galerie Marcel Bernheim, Paris.

  1954 Galerie R. Duncan, Paris.

  1954 Alliance Francaise, Mumbai

  1953 All India Fine Arts and Crafts Society (AIFACS), New Delhi

  1953 Galerie W. Gurlitt, Munich.

  1953 Rue St. Placide, Paris.

  1952 Galerie Beaux- Arts, London.

  1952 Galerie Raymond Duncan, Paris.

  1952 Rue de Sein, Paris.

  1950 Bombay Art Society, Mumbai

Retrospective Exhibitions  

  1989 ‘Retrospective’, sponsored by Kumar Gallery at Rabindra Bhavan, Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi

  1987 ‘Retrospective 1947-87’, sponsored by Kala Academy for Goa, Diu and Daman, Panaji

  1962 ‘Retrospective 1948-62’, Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai

  1955 Retrospective 1945-55, sponsored by Congress for Cultural, Paintings on ‘GeetGovinda’, Sanskrit poem of XII century, Paris

Selected Group Exhibitions  

  2011 ‘Manifestations V', Delhi Art Gallery, New Delhi

  2011 'Masterclass', Dhoomimal Art Gallery, New Delhi

  1991 ‘Masters’, organized by Vadehra Art Gallery at Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai

Joint Exhibitions  

  1949 With S. Palsikar, Bombay Art Society, Mumbai

Participations  

  2013 'The Naked and the Nude: The Body in Indian Modern Art', Delhi Art Gallery, New Delhi

  2011 'Ethos V: Indian Art Through the Lens of History (1900 to 1980), Indigo Blue Art, Singapore

  2011 ‘Manifestations VI', Delhi Art Gallery, New Delhi

  2010 'Manifestations IV', Delhi Art Gallery, New Delhi

 2005 ‘Manifestations III’, Delhi Art Gallery, New Delhi

  2004 ‘Manifestations II’, Delhi Art Gallery, New Delhi

  2003 ‘Manifestations I’, Delhi Art Gallery, New Delhi

  1963 Tokyo Biennale, Japan

  1963 Sao Paulo Biennale, Brazil

  1961 Biennale de Paris, France

Honours and Awards

  1995 Nehru Award, Goa.

  1987 Honored by Government of Goa.

  1985 Awarded Padma Shri, Government of India

  1972 National Award, Kangra Portraits Show, New Delhi

  1961,63 National Award, Lalit Kala Akademi

  1947 Received Mayo Medal