A A Almelkar Profile: Delhi Art Gallery

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A A ALMELKAR
1920 - 1982

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BEGINNINGS

He was born in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. His family shifted to Almel Village in Bijapur District, Karnataka. 1941-53 Worked as commercial artist at Express Blockand Engraving Studio, Bombay. 1954 His studio burnt. The then Govt. of Bombay province, Sir. G.S. Bajpai gave him a flat for his residence and studio in Bombay. 23rd October, 1977 He painted `A Happy Family, Passing Through a Beautiful Garden`, for The 14th International Congress of Pediatrics held in New Delhi. Publications by him - Articles in Dharmayug (Hindi), Kirloskar, Manohar, Mouj (Marathi), Prajavani (Kannad), Hindustan, Janashakti, Sandesh (Gujarathi). He died of heart attack in Pune.

EDUCATION

He was educated at Sholapur.

Passed Intermediate Grade Drawing Examination from school.

1935-40 Art Education in Nootan Kalamandir, Bombay, under Shri. G.S. Dandavatimath.

1948 Govt. Diploma in Drawing and Painting, Bombay.

EXHIBITIONS

Since 1940, he started sending paintings for Bombay Art Society Annual Exhb.

Participated in All India Exhb. at Calcutta, New Delhi, Hyderabad, Madras, Amritsar, Mysore and Ahmedabad etc.

1954 One man show of his paintings, `From Ashes to Life`, Bombay.

1966 National Art Exhb., Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi.

Had in all 40 one man shows held in India and various other countries viz. Ceylon, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand etc.

2003 Manifestation, Delhi Art Gallery, World Trade Center, Mumbai and New Delhi.

COLLECTION

National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi.

Nagpur Museum, Nagpur.

Ahmedabad Museum, Ahmedabad.

Kuala Lumpur Museum, Malaysia.

Singapore Museum, Singapore.

Birla Academy of Art and Culture, Kolkata.

Delhi Art Gallery, New Delhi.

AWARDS

1948 Won the Governor`s Prize for the best water colour painting, Bombay Art Society Diamond Jubilee Exhb., Bombay.

1954 Gold medal from Bombay Art Society, for his painting `Full Moon`, Bombay.

1955 Received the trophy of The Art Society of India for the best exhibit at their Annual Exhb.

Received a cash prize of Rs. 1,000, from the hands of Dr. Rajendra Prasad, at the Second National Art Exhb., Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi.

1960 Received National Award, Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi.

Received 20 Gold medals and 24 Silver medals.

STYLE

He started his career as a landscape painter. He painted impressionistic landscapes in bold style. He was influenced by the work of Walter Langhammer and N.S. Bendre. On the basis of the forms, concepts and colour of mediaeval miniatures, he evoked his own style from 1955 onwards. The period of 1960 to 1970 displays the wonderful heights reached in his style. He painted Indian subjects with modern techniques and his works presents experimental attitude. Almelkar had created distinctive style of drawing and painting especially the eyes so predominantly as ton attract the attention of the viewer. His lines bold, rhythmic but sensitive and fascinating. His bright colour combinations are fresh and pleasing and his colour harmonies are varied, rich and precise.