Senior Fellowship, Ministry of Culture, Government of India (2019)
Manav Gupta (born 29 December 1967) is an Indian contemporary artist known for his paintings, installations and large-scale public art projects on environment consciousness and sustainable development. He has reinvented[1] the identity of rural Indian clay pottery and redeployed various other material like construction scrap to create site specific, contemporary art[2] and environmental installations[3] and sculptures. He has been acknowledged as one of the most versatile and erudite contemporary artists to come from India[4] and is widely regarded as a 'maverick genius' and a 'visionary'.[5]
He has conceptualised and created multiple layers of interdisciplinary engagements at his installations and exhibitions, with other art forms, and outreach programmes with students, educational institutes, the general public as all stakeholders of society, to raise awareness through his 'arth – art for earth' programmes on sustainable living with the message of "respecting the true wealth of life on earth", with recurring episodes of 'Dialogues at the waterfront' at his various public art projects.[6]
For the period of 2010–2019 the artist worked independently via invitations by institutions who hosted his work. He created the following consecutive solo public art projects that were critically acclaimed: 'unsung hymns of clay – shrinking river bed on museum floor'(2013), National Ditsong Museum, Pretoria, South Africa;[7] "Rain the Ganga Waterfront along Time Machine"(2015), India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, India;,[8] "Excavated Museum in a Mall" (2017), DLF Mall of India Noida, India,[9] 'arth – art for earth, travelling excavated museum'(2018) IGNCA, Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India [10] From Sand to Dust,[11] 'Public art museum on Water, Water- the New Gold, City in a city'(2019) Rasulgarh, Bhubaneswar.[12][13]
The decade ended with Gupta being credited with having created some of the most iconic and revolutionary public art projects in India.[14]
He has co-opted his art practices in paintings, poetry, music and sound to create one-minute films on climate change,[15] sustainable development,[16] ecosystems and alternate energy for public service messages commissioned by the Ministry of Environment & Forests, Government of India (2005–2006,2011).
He has pioneered co-creation with his "Jugalbandis" (Collaborations) with musicians, poets and dancers across the world, where he translates a performing artist's oeuvre live on stage on his canvas (2003–2011).
He has co authored a book of poems and paintings with former President of India Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, published by Penguin India.(2002–2005).
Gupta created single edition functional sculptures and public installations with varied media including iron, steel, wood, discarded roots of trees, glass, recycled scrap metal and clay for interior and exterior corporate and private spaces.[17]
Trained in Kolkata at the Academy of Fine Arts under Rathin Maitra and under his guru Vasant Pandit, the artist currently works in New Delhi.
Life and career
Childhood and early life
Gupta was born to a middle-class family in Calcutta, and raised as a single parent since he was about six years of age.[18] His mother was a professor in a college while his father was the deputy director of the National Library of Kolkata.[19] At the age of thirteen, Gupta started teaching and giving tuition lessons for grades one to eight, to support his mother. He would do this for three to four hours a day right up to his graduation from Presidency college. Gupta's family resided in the staff quarters of the National Library Campus where he would spend his early childhood and formative years in the horticulture gardens. He found solace in Nature, which played a pivotal role in shaping his expression of art. He was gifted his first box of colours at the age of 1, where he started expressing himself in the form of poetry and paintings; by sketching and painting precise elements of nature by age 5: namely branches of trees and tree trunks.[18]
Gupta's talent was recognised early in his life.[20] He received several awards and certificates in the field of painting from educational and cultural institutions from the period of 1977 to 1989. While exhibiting his artworks in four group exhibitions at the Academy of Fine Arts in the same period. Gupta gained attention for his poetry and art as he started getting published in newspapers and journals from the period of 1986 to 1991. Gupta's poem "Echoing Parables" was selected and published in the journal of the London Book Fair entry from India in the year 1988. In 1991, Gupta's poem was published in the Calcutta observer.[20] Gupta graduated from Presidency College and worked in private corporate organisations to support his family before formally beginning his full-time art career in 1996.[18]
1996–2002
In 1996, Gupta held his first solo exhibition at the Birla Academy of Art and Culture, Kolkata. While all the conventional halls were booked, Gupta chose to exhibit his paintings in the lawns of the academy. The location was unconventional because at the time, the idea of watercolours on paper being hosted outdoors was not heavily practiced.[21] In the evening when the lights were lit, Gupta's artworks stood out, attracting visitors in hundreds. This also ended with his first solo being his first 'sold-out' exhibition.[22] Amongst the attendees were B. K. Birla and Sarala Birla who purchased two of his artworks which later went to the permanent collection of the academy.[21][18] In 1997, at his second solo, 15 to 17 August, The Taj Bengal, Kolkata hosted his exhibition "freedom to be different". It was his public dissemination of environment consciousness through art.[23] A theme and project close to him as it had a vital effect on his childhood.[24] The exhibit consisted of single edition sculptures and installations created out of discarded roots and tree trunks that were showcased alongside a series of Gupta's miniature artworks called the "earth series."[23] He received critical acclaim from art critics and Indian media houses.[25][26][24]
Gupta shifted his base to New Delhi in 1998,[27] where his breakthrough in the Indian contemporary art market occurred at the Capital, in the year 1999, when he had a sold-out solo exhibition called "India awaiting – Timeless Metaphors of Dreams" hosted by The Taj Palace, New Delhi.[28][29][30] Following which, Gupta's works were showcased in the premises of the Dep. of Culture, H.R.D Ministry, Govt. of India.[19] He was nominated on the Expert Committee, National Republic Day celebrations, Ministry of Defence, Govt of India, as a member to be a part of the committee.[31][32] Gupta's works were exhibited at The Roosevelt House, U.S. Ambassador's residence in New Delhi in 2001.[33] In the same year, he was invited on the formative advisory panel of the Museum of Natural History, Government of India.
Gupta pioneered live performance art in India, as "Jugalbandis" where he translated the musician's performance live on stage from a blank to a finished canvas syncing his brush strokes to the performing artist's recital/instrument.[34] He interpreted Shubha Mudgal's rendering of a song, on the girl child, where the painting was auctioned to raise funds for the NGO: Amitasha.[35][36] He was commissioned by Times of India and Amity Foundation for two specially conceived works on leadership as awards to Kumar Mangalam Birla and K.V. Kamath[37][38] In the same year the Leela Palace, Bangalore hosted his exhibition which was inaugurated by the former Law Minister of India, Ram Jethmalani, Shatrugan Sinha and former Chief Minister of Bangalore, Ram Krishan Hegde.[39][40][41]
"Sparks", a book of Shiela Gujral's haiku poems and the artist's paintings, whose design was conceptualised by Gupta as a work of art, was published during the same time.[42]
His association with former President of India, Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam in 2002 began when he was invited to translate the poem "A National Prayer" on his canvas. On seeing the completed work, Kalam placed the painting at his office,[43][44] all through his tenure, with a miniature model of the 'charkha' in front. The painting went on to become the cover of the book, "The Life Tree",[45] published by Penguin. The book marks an extensive collaboration between Kalam and Gupta with a series of paintings that the artist created interpreting Kalam's poems. Gupta became the first artist in residence at the Rashtrapati Bhawan[46] as he was invited to stay in the Family Wing for a week[47] to paint the Mughal Gardens and work on the project. At the President of India's inaugural address at the centenary celebrations of the National Gallery of Modern Art, Kalam recounted his experience, praising the artist extensively.[37][48][49]
2003–2009
In 2003 Gupta established his commitment to sustainable development and climate change by starting his movement on environment consciousness on World Environment Day.[50][51] He raised awareness on the same by co-opting public participation in his art at his exhibition hosted by the Park Hotel, New Delhi. He pioneered an outreach programme as a call to all stake holders of society to "plant a sampling on my canvas". Beginning with the President of India to the Former Prime Minister of India, Dr I K Gujral[52] and the then Chief Minister of Delhi, he mobilised a large section of society[53] from the government, corporate industries, art and culture, to educational institutions and children from NGO's to co create art with him as a metaphor of accepting responsibility as consumers of Earth's resources.[50] In 2004, his works were displayed at Victoria Jones, London for which he created a dedicated series 'from beyond'.[54]
Continuing his outreach series at his exhibition 'stop a while' 'from beyond' in 2005, at the Lalit Kala Academy, New Delhi, he invited several children and head of educational institutions from different schools of Delhi to take his movement further.[55] He extended the outreach to his works hosted by Rahstrapati Bhawan in the same year.[37][48][56] He became the only artist to have been commissioned for one-minute films as public service messages on environment by the Ministry of Environment & Forests, Government of India where he deployed his paintings, poetry, music and voice over to conceptualise and create one minute and thirty second films for television on climate change, sustainable development, ecosystems and alternate energy.[34][57]
Gupta was awarded the Sanatan Kalakriti Puraskar presented to him by Dominique Girard, French Ambassador to India in 2006. In the same ceremony, he carried out a performance art concert with Dr. L Subramanium.[57]Christie's auctioned his work "Umbilical Cords of Earth" in New Delhi in the month of December of that year.[58]
In 2007, Gupta had his first edition of his 'travelling trilogy'[59] in Muscat, Oman consisting of his paintings, environmental film screenings and his performance art.[34] His concert series included 'jugalbandi's' with Anup Jalota,[60] a contemporary dance troupe and musicians with special needs,[61] and with Rahul Sharma, Rakesh Chaurasia and Vijay Ghate,[62] as three separate performances respectively, to raise funds for the Gonu victims of Oman. Gupta received critical acclaim for his paintings and was covered by every leading media house of Oman.[63][47] Gupta's Muscat exhibition received major acclaimed in Oman.[64] Select works from that exhibition are also in the Permanent Collection of the Royal Household, Oman. His Highness Shihab bin Tariq al-Said quoted[65] the following excerpt at Gupta's exhibition hosted by the Omani Society of Fine Arts: "I was very delighted to have had this moment to view Manav Gupta's work at the Oman Fine Art society exhibition. This is great work of a famous Artist from India which for us Omanis is an addition to our cultural knowledge. I wish Manav a successful tour of Oman and we look forward to seeing more of his very fine work." The exhibition at OSFA[57] was inaugurated by Mr Darwish bin Ismail bin Ali Al Balushi, Secretary General, Minister of Finance, Mr Abdul Razak Ali Issa, CEO of Bank Muscat & Mr Anil Wadhwa, Indian Ambassador to Oman.[57] Gupta also gave lectures and talks on Art and Sustainability one of which was hosted by Bank Muscat.[66] Earlier that year, his work "Non Limiting Horizons" was auctioned by Bonhams, London.[67] Later that year he was commissioned by Hitachi, Singapore for a Limited Edition Copyright of his works for their plasma screens.[68][69]
In 2009 on the occasion of Copenhagen Summit CNN IBN published a serialised documentation of his work in progress, where the artist created the painting "Copenhagen Wall of Hope" as a response to climate change.[70] Towards the end of the year, Indian Council for Cultural Relations invited him for the inaugural solo show post their newly renovated gallery in New Delhi, for the curtain raiser of the artist's second trilogy to US and Europe on Climate Change – 'on my eyot – rainforests & the timeless metaphors of dreams'.[71] The Pioneer, along with Hindustan Times[34] and Delhi Times[72] covered an exclusive feature on Gupta and the exhibition acknowledging Gupta's work on the environment and climate change movement. An excerpt from Pioneer: The climate change summit at Copenhagen might have ended but the issue continues to exist in the works of artist Manav Gupta whose paintings displayed at an exhibition talk about climate change at large, our association with our roots and also with Mother Nature and the earth. Gupta said "The whole idea is to depict climate change that goes much beyond the political affairs, nationalities and other issues. It concerns the whole human race."[71]
In the first half of 2010, Gupta was commissioned by Bharti Airtel, where he created "The Tree of Life", which went on to become the tallest and largest indoor staircase mural in India.[73] It was inaugurated by Sunil Bharti Mittal. After his three-month project at the Bharti Airtel Headquarters in Gurgaon, the artist carried the second edition of his traveling trilogy: "on my eyot – rainforests & the timeless metaphors of dreams"[74] His works, extending to paintings and installations, films and performance art along with public collaborations on his canvases, were exhibited in New York, Des Moines, Amherst, San Francisco, Berlin, and London.[59] While on tour he was invited for talks and lecture demonstrations by the San Jose State University, the Cultural Diplomacy Institute, Berlin and other local venues like the Des Moines Social club.[75]
In 2011 he was commissioned by the Ministry of External Affairs, Govt of India to conceptualise an Indo Bhutan friendship mural as the Indian Government's contribution to the BIFA Museum in Pheuntshilling, Bhutan. He delineated Bhutan–India relations as an archival documentation after exhaustive research. The work consists of a suite of eighteen feet and twelve feet high canvases mapping the political, socio-cultural, spiritual and natural geography of commonalities between the two countries. The is now in the permanent collection of the BIFA building in Pheuntsholing, Bhutan.[76] Post the installation of the work he was invited by His Highness to the Palace where the King shared moments of the royal Couple with the artist. Inspired by their story, Gupta created Her Highness's portrait with idioms from life instances of the Royal couple. The painting is now a part of the permanent collection of the Royal Household of Bhutan.[65]
Gupta's coined his movement on environment consciousness, 'arth – art for earth' in 1996. His movement consisting of paintings, short films and sculptures; now took shape as contemporary clay installations in 2013, where he redeployed everyday pottery objects of terracotta clay into installations.[6] He created the 'shrinking river' doing a 'Duchamp'[4][6] on them, inverting 'earthen lamps' in his 'unsung hymns of clay' series at his exhibition 'rainforests and the circle of life' hosted by the Indian High Commission and Incredible India in Ditsong National Museum of Natural History, South Africa.[77] He was invited for lectures at UNISA & Pretoria University. The exhibition was extended as a BRICS Summit outreach and travelled to Cape Town and Grahams Town.[78] Later in the same year, Limca Book of Records released four records in their 2013 edition for the artist.[73][79]
In 2014, the artist created an hour glass using earthen cups – the 'Time Machine' along with 20ft High Canvases from his 'Umbilical Cords' series at Aerocity, New Delhi for their permanent collection.[80] In the latter half of 2015, Gupta researched further for 3 months at Minneapolis, Des Moines, New York, Washington DC and Miami on his installation series where he redeployed clay pottery to take note on audience reactions at different venues gathering and drawing similarities between the important socio-cultural connects of people and practices with their respective rivers- 'how Indians pay homage to their rivers with earthen lamps and how people deposit tobacco as a form of an offering to Mississippi.'[4] He gave a talk at Minneapolis College of Art and Design as part of the President's Lecture Series and Forecast Public Art.[2] Earlier in 2015, he created his first 'River' at his exhibition titled "Rain, the Ganga Waterfront along Time Machine" where he made a 75ft length x 60ft width x 45ft height of diyas (Earthen Lamps), Kulhads (Earthen cups) and Chillams (Indian rural cigar) to depict the river Ganga at the Plaza steps, for a 3-month exhibition at the India Habitat Centre in New Delhi. It was this Site-Specific,[81]Avant-garde[5][82] installation and his unique engagement with space and architecture that revived Gupta's critical acclaim and recognition in the Contemporary Art Market.[3] Viewership had a record hundred-thousand 'footfalls' for Gupta's public art.[83] The installation proved to be a game changer for Gupta, as he was credited as a 'thinker and visionary', and as 'one of India's most erudite and versatile contemporary artists'[5][84] by international institutions,[2] daily newspapers and magazines[3] and national newspapers in India. Outlook (Indian magazine) cited him in their article as "pipped to be the next big thing in art".[85]Ministry of External Affairs (India), took to twitter to write about Gupta as India's Soft Power,[86] later talking about Gupta's art in the Magazine Issue.[84] Gupta's career long process of engaging with all stakeholders of society to have meaningful conversations through engagement with his art that brings awareness about climate change, environment consciousness and sustainable development was launched by him in the form of his "Dialogues at the Waterfront" series. This was an event and workshop encompassing lectures, talks, panel discussions, poetry recitation, meditation and his "jugalbandi" now taking form as his self composed poetry recitation on environment consciousness to the beats of a contemporary or Indian classical dancer performing, at the forefront of his installations.[83][6] His Waterfront included several stakeholders of society invited by Gupta. Inaugurated by the Union Minister for Water and Sanitation, Govt of India,[87] the exhibition also witnessed and was critiqued by Richard R. Verma, Sakti Burman, Maite Delteil, Kiran Karnik, Meghnad Desai, Baron Desai, Kamal Meattle, Kiran Nadar, B. N. Goswamy, Yogendra Narain, along with several other Individuals.[65]
In 2017, Gupta exhibited his beehive garden project along with 4 other installations— Noah's Ark, The Bed of Love, Time Machine and the river waterfront in his "Museum in a Mall" [5] experience at DLF Mall of India, that later went on to be critiqued as a "solo biennale"[88][89] by art critics and media houses.[90] The exhibition's timeline was extended by public demand.[91] Gupta invited several stakeholders of society for his dialogues at the waterfront series to discuss issues on climate change and sustainable development for a panel discussion at the backdrop of his waterfront.[5] In the same year Gupta donated a painting that was auctioned for raising funds for Water Health Charity, USA.[92]
In the latter half of 2017 Gupta was hosted by one his collectors in their home in Amrita Shergill Marg, New Delhi.[6] Gupta created his first private prototype museum in their gardens and embracing trees and architecture.[93] Gupta created Rain, that he had first conceptualised and created at his studio in 2012.[94] Gupta strongly believed that activism need not be loud.[6][95] And he therefore committed to his movement on climate change, sustainability and environment consciousness by inviting influential stakeholders of society to his studio and holding meaningful conversations to take his movement on environment consciousness and climate change forward.[74] He invited Max Rodenbeck, Ashok Chauhan, Mahesh Sharma, Hari Bhartia and Kavita Bhartia, Uma Sharma, Anita Meattle, along with several ambassadors to India, namely Sir Dominic Asquith, British High Commissioner to India, Nadir Patel, Canadian High Commissioner to India, Mr Jose Ramón Barañano Fernández, Spanish High Commissioner to India, Ms Mariela Cruz Alvarez, Costa Rica High Commissioner to India and Dnyaneshwar Mulay, Former Consul General of India, New York.[65]
In January 2018, Gupta unveiled Rain, that he first created in the latter half of 2017, at his studio in Amrita Shergill Marg.[94] His traveling Museum was hosted[82] by Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts and Ministry of Culture,[96] Govt of India and was launched on World Environment Day[97] and Inaugurated on 5 July by Dr Mahesh Sharma, Cabinet Minister, Ministry of Culture.[98] The exhibition consisted of Rain, the Beehive Garden Project, Noah's Ark, three Time Machine's, the Bed of Life, and the River Waterfront.[99] It was extended by public demand till 25 November 2018. Here, Gupta revisited the "Chipko movement" to embrace Neem and Arjuna trees,[100] with half an acre of 'rain' and embraced space and architecture to deploy his river waterfront as an ode to Matighar, at IGNCA. He created 3 Time Machine's as in idiom to depict the sound of aum (OM) and created Noah's Ark on the fountain, in front of their Mansingh Lawns. Honeycombs or beehives of his 'Beehive Garden Project' were put up on the trees along with his rain. Gupta launched his campaign for the city with his environmental art installations[101] as— "the city needs the river, we need our trees." With New Delhi's Air Quality Index being at its worse, in the history of the city, the artist's message highlighted and emphasised on the importance of trees being the lungs of the city and how 'rain' nurtures them, for which the 'river' needs to be clean.[102] He continued his "Dialogues at the Waterfront" series which was a unique call to all stakeholders of society for a discourse to find transforming solutions for sustainable living.[6][95] The exhibition was visited and critiqued by Vandana Shiva, Pheroza Godrej, Shyam Benegal, Lokesh Chandra, Amitabh Kant, Yogendra Narain, Anjolie Ela Menon, along with several others.[65]
In 2019, Gupta was commissioned by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI)[103] to create an installation under the Rasulgarh Flyover in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India. Gupta created half an acre of a "city in a city-sustainable city"[104] dubbed "Water-the new gold, which had a 20ft Tall Tube Well, installations and murals constructed with discarded concrete blocks and highway construction scrap materials. This project marked Gupta being credited with creating six iconic and revolutionary art projects in India for the decade of 2010–2019 by Indian Media Houses.[14] Later that year, Gupta was awarded with the senior fellowship from the ministry of culture, govt of India as Outstanding Persons in the Field of Culture, for the field of Visual Arts.[105]
Select works and projects
Sculptures and installations
River
Gupta started exploring issues of environment consciousness using the earthen lamp ('diya') as a metaphor, in 2012–13.[106][59] He deployed his research on how perception and context interplay each other in his installation.[107] His research explored how the earthen lamp is woven in the cultural-religious fabric of India[108] since its inception as a nation and before (Indus Valley Civilisation). According to the artist this small clay bowl has a nondescript existence,[109] and only during that momentary use turn into the medium of "gratifying the desires of the soul or the senses". Gupta, inspired by Marcel Duchamp, inverted the Earthen lamp to symbolise a water droplet,[6][4] and created "the shrinking river" in an exhibition hosted by the Indian High Commission and Incredible India in the National Museum, Pretoria, South Africa. Gupta's tagline to the river' was "Maano toh mai Ganga Maa hoon, na maano toh behta paani",[110] "if you consider me sacred I'm pure, else mere water that flows"[3] symbolised the journey of the 'earthen lamp' on how it is shaped by poor potters who keep them in large numbers by the road side in heaps for selling. "Sometimes beside garbage dumps or beside sewage drains, till the time they are brought home by people who purchase them. Once home, only at the time of worship, or as temporary use material to be discarded, they are used as a tool at the altar or at eventful existences that are fleeting and transient. That's the only time when they are recognised or valued." Says Gupta as he further observes and brings to the attention of the viewer: "The same bowl of clay that had no meaning, no significance or existence in the human psyche suddenly turns into the medium of conveying the desires of the soul or the temporary vessel of gratification. Sacred only when placed at the altar or the table. The earthen lamp assumes the status of the Holy Grail carrying one's prayers of the soul to the Gods and our spirit awakens. Once the prayer ends, the earthen lamp is discarded again to be immersed in the Ganges."[2][107] Further critiqued as a response to Gupta's installation: "Given today's world of current complex issues of treatment and perception of women as well as earth (referred to as mother earth in many quarters of Indian spirituality) the artist draws a cross spectrum reference of eroding human values using the river Ganga as the idiom." – Uma Nair, Indian art historian and critic.[80] After creating the shrinking river in 2013, Gupta created the "River Waterfront" at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi in 2015. A site-specific installation of 45ft length x 6Oft width x 45ft height at the plaza steps, thousands of earthen lamps were placed inverted, along several rows while chillams(rural Indian cigar) hung from the wall down the columns, to create an illusion of the flow of water. When dusk fell and the area was lit up, audiences and media exclaimed on how one could almost hear the sound of the waves due to the calmness and serenity it added to an unused Plaza Steps. The installation, "river waterfront" from the series "Excavations in Hymns of Clay", represents a waterfall wherein Gupta used the Ganga, the revered river in India, as the idiom and earthen lamps and chillums as metaphors to draw home the point: "If you consider me sacred, I am pure, else mere water, that flows." As critiqued: "The most striking factor about the installation was the optical illusion that Gupta had succeeded in creating with the earthen lamps and hanging chillums of an actual river flowing. The architectural engagement of the pottery with the walls where it is placed transformed the regular venue into a riparian landscape."[111] "The architectural engagement of art with space and construction is something which is a matter of concern for me and is very important for art to belong there," says Gupta.[3] According to him, the earthen lamp and chillums have a negligible existence and are discarded once used, and so is the case with the Ganga and other natural resources that mankind uses and discards with alarming nonchalance.[112] Not only do the lamps and chillams feed the need of metaphors but also provide the surface needed to portray a river without a shore, especially when placed inverted. "It's a poor potter's produce which is quintessentially Indian and in terms of micro-finance situation, I am trying to rehabilitate them as I buy diyas in huge numbers. It's deeply satisfying" [3] Ripples and waves are discernible even in the installation as the pottery has been placed smartly, densely at certain places to give the right effect.[109] This laying of the river is the artist's bedrock of opportunity for dialogues across different stake holders of society and cross cultural worlds.[5]
Rain
Gupta created his first iteration of rain in his studio terrace in 2012. He formally hosted a global premiere at his studio in Amrita Shergill Marg, New Delhi in the latter half of 2017.[94] Gupta revised rain to create, "rain, rainforest and the beehive garden" to create half an acre of rain at the Man Singh Lawns at the Indira Gandhi National Centre of Art and Culture, Hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Govt of India, in 2018. .[6][100] Rain, the artwork by Gupta, incorporates the use of chillum, a traditional clay smoking pipe associated with intoxication. The chillums are intricately strung together with thin wires, skilfully creating a poetic representation of rain. Gupta has cleverly employed clay, typically associated with the materiality of water, to represent the flowing nature of rain. Additionally, he arranges diyas (traditional oil lamps) on the wires, adding an element of playfulness to his interpretation of rain and its geometric patterns. Emphasizing the significance of each strand and string, Gupta highlights the intricate details within his artwork. Through this deployment, Gupta effectively captures the essence of rainfall, allowing the viewer to perceive the cascading droplets and experience the rhythmic sound of raindrops. Gupta captures the fragmented geometry of rain, providing an intimate glimpse into the texture of falling raindrops. The true essence of Gupta's work is best understood and experienced when one stands amidst the falling rain hanging from tree branches. This immersive encounter allows viewers to appreciate Gupta's skilful portrayal of the simple yet profound phenomenon of rain. The effect created by Gupta's installation is akin to the visual experience of an object placed between parallel mirrors, evoking a sense of fascination and immersion. Interestingly, this sensation surpasses the intoxication typically associated with the chillum itself. Gupta encourages his audience to metaphorically "get drenched in the rain," enticing them to fully embrace the artistic encounter.[102] As quoted by critics and dailies: It is remarkable how Gupta's artwork continues to evolve and transform over months as the installation remains exposed to the elements in outdoor settings. He considers trees as his laboratory, having previously utilized fallen trees as sculptural elements. In the current display, the symbolism of rain falling from tree branches holds significance. Rain relies on trees, just as trees shower the earth with rain. This interplay between rain and trees further deepens the conceptual layers of Gupta's artwork.
The Beehive Garden Project
Beehives were first created by Gupta in 2013 where he created two iterations for his beehive garden project: a singular beehive created with chillums and deployed indoors.[95] And an installation of multiple single edition beehives along with a larger version created by Kulhads (Earthen Cups) displayed as an installation in 2017.[5] Gupta later deployed these beehives outdoors embracing trees in 2018 to be part of his "rain, rainforest and the beehive garden" that covered half an acre of space. Bees, often overlooked but significant in the chain of evolution and mankind's sustainability, play a central role in the Gupta's global beehive garden project. This endeavour serves as an environmental statement, highlighting the importance of biodiversity and its critical connection to sustainable development. Gupta's art consistently aims to transcend its own existence by raising awareness about the environment. Through the innovative use of "chilams" (earthen rural cigars) and "kullars" (earthen cups) to create beehives, the artwork not only captivates the senses of the viewer but also serves as a gentle daily reminder to pause and consider their role in preserving bees and biodiversity.[112][100] As quoted by critics and dallies: "The presence of Gupta's beehives symbolizing the artist's craftsmanship, thoughtful design, patience, control, precision, and an aesthetically pleasing form acts as a metaphor for bees executing the same in creating the very beehives. Each element of the installation represents the vitality of life." Gupta emphasizes the challenges faced in capturing the natural essence of nature, particularly when representing beehives. Maintaining the authenticity of the beehive's form was a crucial aspect for him. Careful consideration was given to prevent the beehive from appearing artificial, as it is prone to doing so. Gupta's dedication to preserving the natural integrity of the beehive is evident. The art project suggests that these beehives, made with unconventional materials, can find a place in every garden and home. They act as a constant reminder to contribute, even in small ways, to the preservation of bees and biodiversity, ultimately making a positive impact in the vast ocean of conservation efforts.[5]
Time Machine
The Time Machine was first created by Gupta in 2014, where he incorporated Earthen Cups to create the structure of an hourglass. He explores the concept of Time and its fleeting nature, prompting contemplation from his viewers. According to Gupta, clay, symbolizing the raw essence of existence and sustainability, is used metaphorically to represent the limited nature of Time, inviting us to reflect on our role in the utilization of earth's resources.[4] "The delicate nature of clay juxtaposed with the finite nature of the "cup of Time" raises awareness about our consumption habits, perception of Time, and our interaction with Earth within the constraints of our lifetimes in a rapidly modernized, capitalist, and consumer-driven society."[80] Gupta introduces light within the installation, symbolizing the awakening of human consciousness and its potential for Hope. This sculpture-installation aims to evoke philosophical and spiritual contemplation, exploring the intricate relationship between human intelligence, emotional depth, and art appreciation. Simultaneously, it maintains an understated elegance and gracefully invites public engagement with art, showcasing the artist's innovative use of pottery as a mass-consumed artistic medium.[5]
Noah's Ark
This artwork created by Manav Gupta incorporates the symbolism of Noah's Ark to emphasize the importance of environmental preservation. Acting as a metaphor for earth and humanity in its cycle of creation, destruction, and rebirth, the artist explores the pivotal role played by the ark. In his interpretation, Noah's Ark represents an ancient civilization in which Noah and his vessel achieved historical significance by saving life on Earth from impending catastrophe.[5] Gupta's artistic vision delves into the concept of an imagined buried museum, where the Noah's Ark and other creations, such as the Time Machine, are discovered. These artifacts symbolize the secrets of sustainable living and serve as a reminder of the collective responsibility mankind has in safeguarding nature from its own interference.[102] The artwork encourages its viewers to reflect on their role as individuals in protecting not only themselves but also future generations and other species. It emphasizes the notion that humans are interconnected and malleable like clay, capable of assuming the role of Noah by pausing and adopting sustainable practices. By embracing a conscious approach to preserving the environment, one can guide their own families and other species toward an evolved and secure life.[101]
Bed of Life
Gupta created two iterations of the bed: "Meet me by the Riverside, the bed of love"[112] in 2017 and the "bed of life" in 2018.[100] Gupta created his first prototype of the bed in 2012 in his studio. Gupta explores the theme of love and its delicate nature, intertwining it with the concept of sustainable development. He uses symbolic representations of male and female elements to convey an intimate expression of love, highlighting its fragility and ethereal quality.
In the artwork, a "river"-bed is created with earthen lamps and cups, creating a visual depiction of a flowing stream that appears to originate from a profound source and seamlessly pour over. This riverbed serves as a symbolic representation of history, love, and a specific sense of hope evoked by the phrase "meet me by the riverside".[5]
The utilization of earthen materials such as lamps and cups suggests a connection to nature and a deeper understanding of the environment. This aspect aligns with the underlying theme of sustainable development, emphasizing the importance of preserving Earth's natural resources and fostering harmonious relationships between humans and the planet.
Through these symbolic elements, the artwork encourages contemplation on the transient nature of love, the intertwining of human existence, and the potential for sustainable growth and development.[6]
Paintings
Gupta's paintings are known for their contemplative and spiritual nature that explore the connection between the inner world of the soul and the natural world. His work encompasses a wide range of mediums, including watercolours, acrylics, oils, sculptures, and multimedia. Gupta's artistic journey has led to the maturation and development of his style. "Environment consciousness", "light" and "hope" are the central themes to Gupta's works. Some of his notable series on paintings are, titled "Intimate Whispers", "Rainforests", "Non-Limiting Horizons",[67] "Lyrics of Light", "Shoonya-from Beyond" and "Umbilical Cords of Earth, Air, Water, Fire & Space".
To better understand Gupta's 'rainforests' and 'umbilical cords' series, his methodology of creation, work and style of paintings, Keshav Malik has critiqued: "Manav Gupta's art, facing both forwards and inwards, is a contemplation of spiritual and the natural communion. And so, his images act as a vehicle of a visionary world that is itself the instrument of self-transcendence. His disposition is towards invoking the inner world of the soul as the stage of divine imminence. His work has undergone much development. The maturation is palpable.
Working in a wide range of installations, watercolors, acrylics, oils, sculptures and multi media, he puts the medium to fresh creative tasks. Technically, as far as color and light goes, he is highly professional. Moreover, he has a precise understanding of color as the language with which nature tries to communicate meanings and values. For him color is a function of sight- implying a sun- like quality in the eye.
Here then is a silent discourse on the music of colors. In this way, visually he works out notes and scales to produce melody and harmony. One can follow Manav's development from color harmonies of great refinement even in his earlier work- on to a progressive liberation of light from the object, or perhaps the resolution of the object into light. The artist has come to understand light as that from which the objects we see are made.
Informed by profound intuition, Manav's pictorial language emerges from and surmounts the creative process to exist objectively. It is then that the instrument of a level experience that is communicable in terms that relate to the knowledge and wisdom of the inwardly attained. The artist's technical know how, as a colorist, is not deployed for its own sake, but because his technique has its own meditative content.
Thus, and in sum, here is evidence of a self-spiritualizing imagination, and wherein the painter is trying to integrate such wholes of experience as bring about our union with the essential reality. Through his external senses the painter is able to perceive the visible world. Through his internal senses he tries to perceive the microcosm, including the twin level of body and soul. The painter has a message to deliver to his ordinary self—a message concerning our deepest being. It means an awakening to a more elevated plane of living. Finally, his "umbilical chord-rainforest" symbolizes an epiphany of the universe continually opening up from sacred source, the centre of the birth of life. An epiphany of which it is both an expression and symbol"[113]
An excerpt from his interview in Classic Feel, "a quest for light" highlights Gupta's use and significance of 'light' and 'hope' in his paintings: "Light is a common preoccupation among visual artists. Painters and photographers alike are always seeking to find light that illuminates their subjects in just the right way and to capture it – somehow to trap within the physical confines of their medium. For Manav Gupta, however, the concern with light goes beyond the problems of the medium to become the subject itself. 'for me it has always been a quest for light.' he says. 'I seek light -in gaps, in crevices and ventricles of the rainforests. For me light is hope. It seeks you out amidst the darkness. So the process of seeking out and finding the way forward with that single streak of light has been the journey of my life and work.'[106]
Gupta's paintings are often described as capturing fleeting moments and emotions. They serve as a diary of his innermost thoughts and events, even though they are not autobiographical in nature.[114][115] Gupta paintings have been critiqued to possess a universal quality due to their connection to the collective unconscious, his brushwork exhibits a sense of ease and relaxation. His use of colors, particularly blues, umbers, greens, oranges, reds, and indigos, creates a captivating interplay of shades and forms.[25]
One notable aspect of Gupta's artworks is the use of titles in the form of Haiku-style poems. The titles, written as short poems, not only explain his thoughts but also contribute to the overall aesthetic of the paintings.[23] Gupta's love for nature is deeply rooted, stemming from his childhood experiences and close connection to earth and nature. This aspect is critiqued to be evident in his artworks.[116][117]
The "Earth series" by Gupta draws attention to the beauty of nature and reflects his love for music and poetry. Each artwork in the series is accompanied by a poem, highlighting the mystical and poetic elements of his paintings.[118] Gupta's style effortlessly combines his skills as a poet and an artist, and it is critiqued to be sometimes unclear whether the poetry or the painting comes first in his creative process.[23]
Gupta has also used his paintings along with his poetry to create one minute and thirty second films as public service messages commissioned by the Ministry of Environments and Forests, Govt of India for television on climate change, sustainable development, ecosystems and alternate energy.[34][70]
Gupta has also used his paintings for creating dual and triple channel video installations in South Africa in 2013 and prototype 'digital viewing rooms' from the period of 2009 – 2012.[79]
Murals
Tree of Life
He has won international acclaim for his first of its kind six floor high 5000 sq ft in facade and 10000 sq ft of total painted surface, commissioned mega mural[119] at the headquarters of a leading telecom corporate giant in Gurgaon near Delhi, India in 2010, where he painted Live for three months while involving thousands of employees' brush strokes in his creation[120]"The Tree of Life".[121] The Tree of Life is the tallest and largest three-dimensional indoor staircase mural[122] by artist Manav Gupta. It covers approximately 5,000 sq ft of visible frontage through a glass façade and 10,000 sq ft of total painted surface. Its significance lies in the methodology of creation as a work of contemporary art, with the first of its kind simultaneous use of four different art practices in conceptual, site specific, collaborative and performance art.[123]
When commissioned by Bharti Airtel Ltd to create a "staircase artwork"[124] at their headquarters, the artist introduced a unique sustainable development process in corporate entity, by establishing that art can contribute to the business environment as well, by refreshing the intangible quality of its soft power among employees. Adding a collaborative dimension, he conceptualised the mural as a public art project by allowing thousands of employees the experience of putting brush strokes. In the process, a series of role plays of teaching and motivating employees took effect as performance art. In the second half of the project, a three dimensional site specific composition took shape. With Gupta working solo all through the day, live in front of 3500 employees and almost as many visitors at the corporate campus site, the mural took three months to complete as an evolving storyline of five elements in Nature. Keeping in mind the visibility of the staircase all over the campus through a 60ft high glass facade,[125] the site specific intervention amalgamated the background wall and the front face of the staircase perspectives of five floors into a single canvas merging surrounding sides and roof within one composition.
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