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Image Credit - Artist
Kanchan Chander pursued a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting and
Printmaking from Delhi College of Art during 1976-81. She spent a year
at Weisensee Kunst Hochschule, Berlin, Germany in 1975. From 1979-
80, she was a guest student in printmaking, College of Art. Santiago,
Chile. She received a research scholarship from the Delhi College of Art
(1981-82) and a research grant from Lalit Kala Akademi (1982-83). In
1984-85, she was the recipient of the French Govt. Scholarship -
Printmaking, Ecole Des Beaux Arts. Paris, France. The Ministry of
Human Resources Development , Delhi offered her a fellowship in
printmaking and painting as well.
The depiction of the human body has
always been a significant part of Kanchan's artistic expression. She has
been described as a dynamic force, reclaiming the space of the creative
feminine. Her artwork is vibrant and refreshing, employing a
combination of unconventional and traditional techniques using mixed
media. Kanchan draws inspiration from two influential artists, Amrita
Shergill and Frida Kahlo, and often pays tribute to both simultaneously
without any discordance.She is a multi-disciplinary artist who works in the media of Painting, Mixed Media, Printmaking, Video Art, Sculpture, and Site-Specific Installations.
Kanchan employs an eclectic range of materials such as paper bits,
magazine snippets, sequins, and laces in her artwork. She joyfully
explores these elements, resulting in thought-provoking and beautifully
layered compositions. The female form depicted in her paintings
embodies an ambiguous relationship with power, violence, and
sensuality.
Her works capture the domestic-centric experiences of
femininity, portraying an iconic feminine energy and effortlessly
appropriating the concept of the mythic divine feminine. The themes of
the Devi (goddess) and the torso recur frequently in her artwork. These
monumental and embellished figures, adorned with sequins, silver leaf,
and beads, celebrate the fertile, erotic, and sensuous nature of the
female form. The use of luminous cerulean blues, yellows, and bright
reds adds vibrancy to the surface of her paintings.
Kanchan's personal experiences, dilemmas, conflicts, joys, and sorrows
find expression through subjective distortions in her art. Her global
recognition is evident from the diverse range of museums and
collections that have acquired her works.
Kanchan's personal experiences, dilemmas, conflicts, joys, and sorrows
find expression through subjective distortions in her art. Her global
recognition is evident from the diverse range of museums and
collections that have acquired her works. Some notable institutions
include the National Gallery of Modern Art in Delhi, Kiran Nadar Museum
in New Delhi, British Museum and Victoria and Albert Museum in
London, Ecole Des Beaux Arts in Paris, Fukuoka Art Museum in Japan,
and the Museum of Sacred Arts in Belgium.
Kanchan has held several
solo shows in India, Japan, Nepal and Australia. Participated in various
prestigious exhibitions like National Exhibition, India; Print Biennales in
Bhopal, Ljubljana, Frenchen, Bradford various Women artists show in
Mills College, Berkeley; Tiger By the Tail—Boston and Rutgers and
several others.
Gallery