BEGINNINGS
He was born in Peshawar, North West Frontier Province, Pakistan.
His ancestors were prosperous businessmen.
He had no inclination to adopt his family business, and he developed his aptitude towards art.
He then took to photography which inspired him to enter into the realm of art.
After partition of India, his family migrated and settled at Hewet Road, Lucknow.
In college he was mainly inspired and educated by his senior C.D. Sharma.
Lives and works in Lucknow.
EDUCATION
1952-56 Diploma in Fine Arts, Govt. College of Art, Lucknow.1956-57 Post-Graduate Diploma, Paintings and Sculpture, Govt. College of Art, Lucknow.
EXHIBITIONS
1954 Solo exhb., Kashmir Boat Club, Kashmir.1955, 57 Solo exhb., Govt. College of Art, Lucknow.1972 Exhb. of the Uttar Pradesh Artists, New Delhi.1973 The Inter State Exchange Exhb., Hyderabad.1975 Solo exhb., Lalit Kala Akademi, Lucknow.1980 Solo exhb., Triveni Kala Sangam, New Delhi.1987 Invited to participate in the 15th International Exhb., Japan.1987 Solo exhb. in Kashmir.1987 National Exhb., Madras, Bhuveneshwar, Patna and New Delhi.1988 Invited to participate in 2nd International Asian European Art Biennale, Ankara.1989 Exhb., Birla Academy of Art and Culture, Calcutta.1993 Solo exhb., ABC Gallery, Benaras.2005 Manifestations III, organised by Delhi Art Gallery, Nehru Center, Mumbai and Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi.
COLLECTION
Lalit Kala Akademi, Lucknow and New Delhi.Govt. House, Uttar Pradesh, Hariyana and New Delhi.Academy of Fine Arts, Kolkata.Children Museum, Lucknow.Ravindralaya, Lucknow.Allahabad Museum, Allahabad.Hyderabad Museum, Hyderabad.Mysore Museum, Mysore.Deoria Museum, Deoria.National Akademi of Administration, Mussorrie.National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi.Narendra Dev Library, New Delhi.Delhi Art Gallery, New Delhi.
AWARDS
1959 Silver Medal, All India Dusehra Exhb., Mysore.1960 1st Prize, All India Dusehra Exhb., Mysore.1961,62 Gold Medal, All India Dushera Exhb., Mysore.1963 Silver Medal, Academy Of Fine Arts, Calcutta.1970 1st Prize, Gandhi Shatabdi Exhb., Lucknow.1975 Silver Medal, U.P. Artists Association, Lucknow.1976 Awarded at Academy of Fine Arts, Calcutta.1977 Awarded at All India Exhb., Lalit Kala Akademi, Lucknow.1979 Awarded at All India Exhb., Academy of Arts, Amritsar. 1986 Awarded at U.P. State Lalit Kala Akademi, Lucknow.1990 Awarded at all India Ramayana - Mahabharat Exhb. 1990-91, National Award, Central Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi.
STYLE
Arya is purely an artist of Indian ethos, culture and customs. He has perfected the difficult technique of watercolour so well that he became the lone exponent of the wash medium and imagery of the Neo-Bengal School in Uttar Pradesh. The impact of colour in his wash paintings is vibrant and pulsating with life. Wash painting has been defined as a poem in line and colour. Hence poetic effects are heightened by the use of hazy lines and colour. The tones of colour when superimposed on one another, promote phantasmagoria of colourful shades, ennobling and uplifting its appeal.
His romantic imagination has fancifully sought abode in myths and legends as well as the usual ways of expression in various festivities, celebrations and other cultural traits of Indian life.
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Head of the Deptt. of Fine Arts, Govt. College of Art, Lucknow.
