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Image Credit - Artist
Kavita Nayar began her artistic journey at Kala Bhawan in Shantiniketan, West Bengal, where she pursued a Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) degree from 1974 to 1979. She earned a Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) from the College of Art in New Delhi between 1987 and 1989. She served as the Vice President of the Indian Printmaker's Guild from 1990 to 2000, playing a pivotal role in advancing and promoting the art form within India.
She was a co-curator and present secretary of 'Multiple Encounters', a working body of Print-making artists. In 2009, Nayar established the Kala Sakshi Memorial Charitable Trust, where she serves as a trustee. Through this trust, she actively supports emerging artists, promotes art education, and facilitates cultural exchange, showcasing her commitment to nurturing the artistic community.
Throughout her illustrious career, Nayar has received numerous accolades. She was awarded a Junior as well as a Senior Fellowship by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD), acknowledging her outstanding contributions to the field of art. In 1980-1981, she received a National Scholarship from the Ministry of Culture. She received a merit scholarship from the University of Vishwa Bharati Shantiniketan in 1974-79. She won the 1989 Yuva Mahotsav Award, the AIFACS Award in 1989 and 1996, and the Bharat Nirman Award for outstanding work in the field of Fine-Arts in 1990. She received an honourable mention at the 44th National Exhibition, India in 2001 and was awarded by National Legal Literacy Mission for outstanding work in the field of Art, New Delhi in 2008.
Nayar's artistic pursuits have also taken her beyond national borders. In 1985-1986, she was the recipient of a prestigious French Government Scholarship, allowing her to work on lithography and etchings at Cite International Des Arts and Ecole des Beaux Arts. In 1990, she worked under a master printer in serigraphy in Luxembourg with a Creative Fund fellowship. She undertook a senior fellowship at Ruskin School of Art, Oxford, England, in 1996, supported by the Charles Wallace India Trust.
Nayar's artistic expression revolves around capturing the intangible aspects of human emotions and the interconnectedness of nature. Through her mastery of printmaking, she skillfully combines techniques and pictorial elements to create artwork that deeply resonates with viewers. She has participated in numerous solo and group exhibitions, nationally and internationally, such as MGI, Mauritius (2002), solo exhibitionsat 'Joanne Stichweh Gallery' in Otterbien and at 'Phoenix Rising Gallery' in Columbus, USA (2020), solo exhibition at Art Heritage, New Delhi,solo show at Queen's Gallery, British Council, New Delhi.
'Multiple Encounters' in Visual Art Gallery ,Habitat Centre ,New Delhi (2019), Indo Swedish Art Glass Exhibition in Sweden & India (2006), Xth Triennale of India (2001), the 14th International Triennale of Graphic Prints - Vision 2000, Grenchen, Switzerland, Souvenirs D'en France, an exhibition of Contemporary Indian Art sponsored by Embassy of France in India, Delhi (1993), and many more. Collections of her work can be found in the Panchvati Hall, Prime Minister House, New Delhi, Ministry of Civil Aviation, New Delhi, and National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi.
Gallery