Description

Born in 1987, Shri Kumar Adhikari is an Indian contemporary artist who received his B.F.A in painting from Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi in 2011 and MFA in painting from IGNOU New Delhi in 2013. His art is a beautiful blend of reality he has lived in, lessons learned through experiences and stories that he grew up listening to from his elders.

Shri Kumar fuses the conventional Mughal miniature paintings with modern day realities. He recreates the scenes from iconic Mughal durbar or courts that are being held by the emperors and empresses. He pays attention to details with the intricate gold work on the curtains and pillows, his subjects are dressed in traditional attire. But this is where Shri Kumar draws the line. Rather than completely recreating the original scenes from Mughal times, Shri Kumar gives them a modern twist, almost as if showing how these courts would perform in the modern day and age. Like any other millennial, often the emperor or the empress in these paintings could be seen glued to the phones, scrolling through their social media. The courtesans are also busy listening to music, with headphones in their ears and the security guards —resonating with the security guards of the 21st century — are seen wearing aviator sunglasses. It is notable that the only thing that sets this painting apart from a traditional Mughal miniature is the subtle use of modern day gadgets. Everything else in Shri Kumar’s paintings including his color palette and the intricate motifs, reflect the ancient Mughal miniature paintings.

In his short career, Shri Kumar has won many accolades for his stunning paintings and has exhibited his work at many prestigious galleries including Lalit Kala Akademi, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, and Visual Art Gallery India Habitat Centre, New Delhi.