Shankar Palsikar (1916-1984) - “A Centenary year of Artist’s Birth” National Gallery of Modern Art, Mumbai

Shankar Palsikar (1916-1984) - “A Centenary year of Artist’s Birth”

National Gallery of Modern Art, Mumbai, Ministry of Culture and Government of India in association with Shankar Palsikar Art Foundation and The Raza Foundation, New Delhi presents Shankar Palsikar (1916-1984) - “A Centenary year of Artist’s Birth”, a major exhibition of a visionary who shaped the course of modern painting. 

Prof. Shankar Palsikar a teacher of par excellence for generations of students, he evolved original interpretations to the traditional and rich art of this sub-continent by giving it a harmonious turn, a subtle twist there, thus creating a new contemporary world of Indian art. Palsikar Sir, besides being a great orator, was a sensitive writer in Marathi and English. He was born in Sakoli Village in Vidarbha. After his matriculation he studied in Sir J. J. School of Art, Mumbai (1942-1947). He was awarded several prizes including the most coveted one- the Meyo Medal- for his first class scholastic career in 1947 at Sir J.J. School of Art, the First Cultural Scholarship in Fine Art, by Govt. of India(1949), Gold Medal of Bombay Art Society(1950), Gold Medal by Fine Art Society of Calcutta(1950).

He was also honoured with Gold Medal and Life Membership by the Art Academy of Italy for his outstanding services in the field of Art and Art-Education. Beside the major honours mentioned above, he was awarded Silver and Bronze Medals on many art events in India and was nominated as one of the nine eminent artists of India by Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi. In 1965, he represented India in International Plastic Art Conference held in England. He was appointed as Dean of the Sir J. J. School of Art in 1968 and retired in 1975. As an art educationist, he was invited by Govt. of Sri Lanka to plan the academic programme for the art institutions in that country. He was nominated as one of the nine eminent artists of India by Lalit Kla Akademi, New Delhi and a member of advisory committees of various universities in India. 

The Indian Art fraternity that consists of both artists and art connoisseurs alike is aware that, like the master painters S.H. Raza, M. F. Hussain, V. Gaitonde and K. K. Hebbar, Prof. Palsikar had deeply contributed to the evolution of Indian Art, but unlike them, had always preferred to remain a devoted teacher to his adoring students. Being a pedagogue, unwilling to be in the artistic limelight, he never deigned to have a public viewing of his works, but a posthumous retrospective, during the year of his passing, was organised by Prof. Vasant Parab, then Dean Sir J. J. School of Art in coordination with the Govt. of Maharashtra at the Jehangir Art Gallery Mumbai in 1984. It would be great privilege to artists and art lover to view his paintings at the centenary Exhibition at NGMA from 23rd Dec. 2016 – 31st Jan. 2017. 

It is a major exhibition of a visionary who shaped the course of modern painting. The exhibition is curated and designed by Arvind Hate. During the tenure of this exhibition, special art and cultural programmed such as musical evenings, book launches, dance and lectures would be organized at National Gallery of Modern Art, Mumbai. These programmed have been designed in respond to Prof. Palshikar's persuasive conviction about inter-relationship of all art forms. He always used to remind us that artists from various art-practices must reciprocally react to each other and sense the common goal that creates fundamental understanding of art and aesthetic that strengthens the cultural growth of an individual in particular and society in general.

Convenor: Prabhakar Kolte
Venue: National Gallery of Modern Art, Sir Cowasji Jehangir Hall, Mumbai
Inauguration: 23rd December , 2016, 6:00 PM
Open for Public from 24th December, 2016 till 31st January, 2017
Timing: 11:00 AM- 6:00 PM (Closed on Monday & Public Holidays)