Prabhakar Kolte was born in 1946 and received his Diploma from the Sir J.J. School of Art, Mumbai in 1968. He also taught there between 1972 and 1974.
His early works show a strong influence of Paul Klee, the Swiss artist and teacher whose child like figures belie the sophistication of his richly textured surfaces. Kolte’s abstract layering with paint echoes cityscapes where the signs and textures give a glimpse into his modernist cosnciosuness. His early works are characterised by a single, dominant colour in the background , on which lighter and more complex geometric or organic forms are juxtaposed.
The artist has a number of solo shows to his credit. He has participated in many important group exhibitions including ‘Art – Mosaic-celebration of Calcutta’s Terecentennary’, Calcutta and Mumbai ( 1990 ), ‘Wounds’, CIMA Gallery, Calcutta ( 1993 ), ‘Parallel Perceptions’, Sakshi Gallery, Mumbai ( 1993-1994 ), ‘w=Watercolours : A Broader Spectrum – II’, Mumbai ( 1995 ), ‘Three Artists’, Hong Kong ( 1995 ) and Galerie Foundation for Indian Artists, Amsterdam ( 1996 ); ‘Six Indian Painters’ curated by Geeta Kapur at Toto grad, Yugoslavia, Ankara and Instanbul ( 1985 ).
Education
1964-68 Diploma in Painting, Sir J.J. School of Art, Mumbai
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2007 Pundole Art Gallery, Mumbai
2006 Vadehra Art Gallery, New Delhi
2005 Galerie 88, Kolkata
2002 Pundole Art Gallery, Mumbai
2001-02 Galerie Muller and Plate, Munich, Germany
2000 Sakshi Gallery, Bangalore
1999 Admit One Gallery, New York
1998 Art Heritage , New Delhi
1997 Pundole Art Gallery, Mumbai
1997 Vadehra Gallery, New Delhi
1996 Galerie Foundation for Indian Artist, Amsterdam
1993 Gallery Chemould, Mumbai
1992 Art Heritage, New Delhi
1991 Sakshi Gallery, Chennai and Bangalore
1990 Gallery Chemould, Mumbai
1987 Gallery Chemould, Mumbai
1984 Sir J. J. School of Art, Mumbai
1983 Gallery Chemould, Mumbai
1978 Indo-German Cultural Society, Mumbai
Selected Group Exhibitions
2013 'Edge of Reason- and beyond, into pure creativity', presented by Indian Art Circle at Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi
2013 'Nothing is Absolute: A Journey through Abstraction', The Jehangir Nicholson Gallery at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (CSMVS), Mumbai
2012 'One Eye Sees, the Other Feels', The Viewing Room, Mumbai
2011 'Adbhutam: Rasa in Indian Art', Centre of International Modern Art(CIMA), Kolkata
2011 'Between Seasons', Gallery Beyond, Mumbai
2011 'Form and Formlessness', Art Alive Gallery, Gurgaon
2010 'Masters of Maharashtra', collection from Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi at Piramal Gallery, National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA), Mumbai
2010 'Essential, Eclectic,...Ephemeral', The Harrington Mansions, Kolkata
2009 'Think Small', Art Alive Gallery, New Delhi
2009 'Deep In Black', Galerie Muller and Plate, Munich
2008 ‘Freedom 2008 – Sixty Years of Indian Independence’, Centre for International Modern Art (CIMA), Kolkata
2007 ‘The Workshop’, India Fine Art, Mumbai
2007 ‘Body Mind Soul’, organized by Gallery Threshold at Visual Art Gallery, India Habitat centre, New Delhi
2007 ‘Abstracts, Rupa – Arupa’, organized by Galleria, Mumbai at Museum Gallery, Mumbai and Visual Arts Gallery, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi
2007 ‘Does Size Matter’, Art Konsult, New Delhi
2007 ‘Colors of Art’, Presented by Galerie Sara Arakkal and Gallery Art Resource Trust at Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai
2007 Studio Confluence, Mumbai
2005 ‘Synchrome’, Akar Prakar, Kolkata
2005 ‘Unarticulated Parallels in Contemporary Indian Art’, Art Pilgrim, New Delhi
2005 ‘Gray: Exhibition of Contemporary Art’, Gandhara Art Gallery, Kolkata
2005 ‘Papyri : Works on Paper’, Alekhya, Baroda
2005 ‘Still Waters Run Deep’, Hacienda Gallery, Mumbai
2005 ‘Towards Abstraction’, Threshold Art Gallery, New Delhi
2005 ‘Indian Contemporary Painting’, Aryan Art Gallery, New Delhi
2005 ‘Bridge’, Art Alive, New Delhi
2005 ‘Concepts and Ideas’, Centre for International Modern Art (CIMA), Kolkata
2005 ‘Still Life’, Art Motif, New Delhi
2004 ‘Summer 2004’, C.I. Art Palette, New Delhi
2004 ‘Image and Imagination’, Gallerie 88, Kolkata
2001 ‘Modern Indian Art’, organized by Saffronart and Pundole Art Gallery, New York
1997 ‘Chamatkar’, organized by Centre for International Modern Art (CIMA), Kolkata, Whitley’s Art gallery, London
1996 Christie’s Auction, London
1996 ‘Highlights’, Centre for International Modern Art (CIMA), Kolkata
1996 ‘Three Artists’, Maya Gallery, Hong Kong
1996 ‘Five Artists’, Gallery Espace, New Delhi
1996 ‘Perspecta’, Galerie 88, Kolkata at Oberoi, New Delhi
1995 ‘Water Color- Broader spectrum, II’, Gallery Chemould, Mumbai
1995 Autumn Exhibition’, All India Fine Arts and Crafts Society (AIFACS), organized by Centre for International Modern Art (CIMA), Kolkata
1995 ‘Bombay- A Tribute to City’, organized by RPG Enterprise, Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai
1994 ‘Fantasy’, Centre for International Modern Art (CIMA), Kolkata
1994 ‘Hinged by Light’, Pundole Art Gallery, Mumbai
1994 ‘100 Years of Indian Art’, National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), New Delhi
1994 ‘Trends and Images’, Centre for International Modern Art (CIMA), Kolkata
1993-94 ‘Parallel Perceptions’, Sakshi Gallery, Mumbai and Pune
1993 ‘Wounds’, Centre for International Modern Art (CIMA), Kolkata
1991 ‘The Rimbaud-91’ Exhibition of Contemporary India Art, Hommage to French Poet Arther Rimbaud, Alliance Francaise, Chennai
1991 ‘Contemporary Artist from SAARC Countries’, organized by National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), New Delhi
1990 ‘Six Bombay Artists’, CMC Gallery, New Delhi
1990 ‘Artistic Riot’, Sophia Gallery, Mumbai
1990 ‘Gadyaparva’, Gallery Chemould, Mumbai
1990 ‘Art Mosaic’, Celebration of Kolkata’s Tercentenary
1989 ‘Teachers Exhibition’, Sir J.J. School of Art, Mumbai
1988 Centenary Exhibition of Bombay Art Society, Mumbai
1979 ‘Twenty Artists’, Alliance Francaise, Mumbai
1975 ‘Five Artists’, Taj Art Gallery, Mumbai
1975,86 Contemporary Art in Maharashtra, organized by Directorate of Art, Maharashtra at Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi
1974 ‘Astitva’, organized by Organization of Contemporary Artists, Max Muller Bhavan, Mumbai
1973-74 ‘Five Colleagues from Sir J.J. School of Art, Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai
1972 ’25 Years of Independence’, Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi
Joint Exhibitions
2005 ‘As Within So Without’, with Ganesh Haloi, Art Musings, Mumbai
Participations
2010 'Master’s Corner', organized by Indian Contemporary Art Journal at Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai; India International Art Fair, New Delhi
2010 'Evolve: 10th Anniversary Show', Tao Art Gallery, Mumbai', Nehru Centre, Mumbai
2008-09 ‘Expanding Horizons: Contemporary Indian Art’, Traveling Exhibition presented by Bodhi Art at Ravinder Natya Mandir, P.L.Despande Kala Academy Art Gallery, Mumbai; Sant Dyaneshwar Natya Sankul Art Gallery, Amravati; Platinum Jubilee Hall, Nagpur; Tapadia Natya Mandir Sports Hall, Aurangabad; Hirachand Nemchand Vachanalay’s, Solapur; Acharya Vidyanand Sanskrutik Bhavan, Kolhapur; PGSR Sabhagriha, SNDT, Pune; Sarvajanik Vachanalaya Hall, Nasik
2008 'Harvest 2008', organized by Arushi Arts at The Stainless Gallery, New Delhi
2007 17th Anniversary Show, Gallery Sanskriti, Kolkata
1995,2001 ‘Festival of Perth’, Australia
1995 ‘Print Biennale’, Roopankar, Bharat Bhavan, Bhopal
1990 22nd International Festival of Paintings, Conges Sur Mer, France
1984,86 Biennale of Roopankar, Bharat Bhavan, Bhopal
1986 6th Triennale India, Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi
1973-86 National Exhibitions of Lalit Kala Aademi, New Delhi
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