KRISHEN KHANNA

"Untitled"

circa 2023-2025

Mixed media on paper

30 x 22 1/2 in. (76.2 x 57.2 cm)

Krishen Khanna (b. 1925) is a widely celebrated, self-taught Indian artist within the Progressive Artists' Group, whose figurative work peers into the lives of his subjects, showcasing emotional depth and experience. Born in Lyallpur (present-day Faisalabad in Pakistan) and raised in Lahore, Khanna attended the Imperial Service College in England as a Rudyard Kipling scholar. He later began his artistic journey by taking evening classes at the Mayo School of Art while studying English literature at Government College. During this period, Khanna developed his practice, painting and evolving his style while working at Grindlays Bank in Bombay. By 1949, he joined the Progressive Artists' Group alongside contemporaries such as F.N. Souza and M.F. Husain, participating in group exhibitions. While abstraction was pivotal to this era, Khanna emphasized the figure, depicting individuals from various social positions, including workers and musicians. His work is defined by vibrant colors and tactile textures across mediums. Most importantly, Khanna’s style and subject matter capture moments frozen in time, creating narratives that engage his audience.This distinct style propelled him to international recognition, with his work featured at major biennials in Venice, São Paulo, and Tokyo starting in the 1960s. Following a prestigious Rockefeller Fellowship in 1962, his international presence expanded into premier collections such as the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, the Tate Modern in London, and the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) in New Delhi. Throughout his career, Khanna’s work has been showcased at global art fairs and landmark gallery exhibitions, including DAG and Grosvenor Gallery. In recognition of his profound impact on South Asian modernism, he was awarded the Padma Shri in 1990 and the Padma Bhushan in 2011.