Rahim Mirza
BORN EDUCATION QUALIFICATIONS SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS PARTICIPATIONS HONORS AND AWARD ABOUT THE ARTIST Born in 1969, Rahim Mirza completed his art education at Bharat Bhavan in Bhopal, where he studied printmaking. Mirza's current body of work, however, is largely made up of acrylics on canvas. The leaf occupies a central motif in much of his work, representing, perhaps, an assortment of emotions, while the appearance of the first leaf signifies Spring and renewal, the shedding of the brown leaves in Autumn heralds the onset of winter. It is these subtleties and the complexity of the simple motif that intrigue the artist. While Mirza focuses on the leaf, he removes it from its natural environment. Thus while the leaf is a prominent symbol in his work, there generally is no sign of a tree or any context beyond its form. In its multiplicity, the artist creates rhythm and meaning that is far beyond its reach. Mirza had his first solo exhibition at Crimson Art Gallery, Mumbai, in 2000. Others followed this at Archer Art Gallery, Ahmedabad, in 2001, and Diara Art Gallery in 2002. His work has also been a part of group shows like Collective Spaces at M.E.C. Art Gallery, New Delhi, in 2006, Anadi at the Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi, in 2000, and Vibgyor at the Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi, also in 2000. Mirza has also participated in Samvet, the Madhya Pradesh exhibition at the Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi, in 1999, the Tokyo International Print Triennial in 1998, the 8th All India Art Exhibition, Lucknow, in 1997, and Exposition-96 at the Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi, in 1996. The artist was honored with the Raza Foundation Award in 2005, and in 1997 won the Madhya Pradesh State Award, Bhopal. Mirza currently works and lives in Bhopal.
1969 Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh
1996 Specialization in Graphics (Printmaking), Bharat Bhawan, Bhopal
2002 Daira Art Gallery
2001 Archer Art Gallery, Ahmedabad
2000 Crimson Art Gallery, Mumbai
2010 Swasti Roop, an abstract exhibition by the Raza Foundation awardees, Art Alive Gallery, New Delhi
2006,05,04 Collective Spaces, M.E.C. Art Gallery, New Delhi
2000 Anadi, Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi
2000 Birla Academy of Art and Culture, Kolkata
2000 Alliance Francaise of Hyderabad
2000 Vibgyor, Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi
1999 Alternative Art, Lakeeren Art Gallery, Mumbai
1998 Different Strokes, Pune
1997 Birla Academy of Art and Culture, Mumbai
1999 Samvet, Madhya Pradesh Artists Exhibition, Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi
1998 Tokyo Mint International Printing Triennial, Japan
1998 Rajasthan Biennale, Jaipur
1998 41st National Art Exhibition, New Delhi
1997-98 All India Art Exhibition, Amritsar
1997 8th All India Art Exhibition, Lucknow
1997 40th National Art Exhibition, Bangalore
1997 State Exhibition of Indian Fine Arts and Crafts Society (AIFACS), Bhopal
1997 International Print Biennale, North Central Zone Cultural Center (NCZCC), New Delhi
1996,97,98,99 Indian Fine Arts and Crafts Society (AIFACS) Painting Exhibition, New Delhi
1996,97,98,99 All India Fine Arts and Crafts Society (AIFACS) Graphics Exhibition, New Delhi
1996 North Central Zone Cultural Center (NCZCC), Allahabad Exhibition, New Delhi
1996 Vividha, Bhopal
1996 Exhibition-96, Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi
1995 C.K.P. All India Art Exhibition, Bangalore
1995 Raza Award Exhibition, Gwalior
1995 J. Swaminathan Memorial Art Exhibition, Bhopal
1995 First Oriental Print Biennale, Bhubaneshwar
1995, 96, 98, 99 All India Art Exhibition, South Central Zone Cultural Center (SCZCC), Nagpur.
1994 Kala Parishad, Bhopal
1992 Bharat Bhawan Biennale of Contemporary Indian Art, Bhopal
Raza Foundation Award 2005, New Delhi
1997 Madhya Pradesh State Award, Bhopal
1996 Indian Fine Arts and Crafts Society (AIFACS), New Delhi
Raza Award 1995, Bhopal
National HRD Scholarship