J.Mani

BORN
1949 Bangalore

DIED
2nd June 2021

ABOUT THE ARTIST
"The historical location of Badami, as well as the innocence of the people there, whom I find very hard-working and honest in all aspects, inspire me to capture their simplicity through my paintings." The simple, rustic people of the Deccan Plateau in South India, with strong Dravidian features (an ancient race in South India), are the subjects of J.M.S. Mani's paintings. His art is an amalgamation of Indian culture with Western formalism. His figures are modeled three-dimensionally, with bold brushwork, similar in style to those of the Impressionists. Mani chooses to represent his characters, the balloon seller, the women with a rooster, in a simple and orderly way. They narrate an untold story; much like the famous "Dancing Girl" of the ancient Mohenjodaran civilization of the Indus Valley; a story that tells the origins of an entire race. Although seemingly simple, Mani's images are also representative of an entire civilization. The vibrant colors of his paintings contrast with the dark skin of his characters, creating a sense of drama in his compositions. And it is his colors and compositions that are expressive, rather than the figures themselves. The figures appear frozen within the canvas, their beauty and grace enhanced by the restrained use of gesture and expression. J. M. S. Mani has a Diploma in Drawing and Painting from the Ken School of Art, Bangalore. He won the Karnataka Lait Kala Akademi award from 1981 to 1983. He has had 19 shows in India and in London. He has participated in 43 group exhibitions, such as the SAARC Exhibition at Chitra Kala Parishath, Bangalore and the Bharat Bhavan International Print Biennale in 1989. He currently lives and works in Bangalore.

EDUCATION QUALIFICATIONS
1974 Ken School of Art, Bangalore

SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2004 Painting Exhibition at Chennai by Sumukha Art Gallery, Bangalore
2003 Organized by Gallery Sumukha, Bangalore at Gallery 88, Kolkata
2003 Painting Exhibition at Sumukha Art Gallery, Bangalore
2002 Nagpur
2001 Gallery Sumukha, Bangalore
1999, 2000, 2001 The Gallery, Mumbai
1996 Crimson Art Gallery, Bangalore
1995 Graphics, Renaissance Gallery
1995 Gallery Maya, Hong Kong
1995 Mall Gallery, London
1995 Graphics, Switzerland
1994 Lee Arthur Gallery, New York
1994 Gallery Aurobindo, New Delhi
1993 Kufa Art Gallery, London
1992 Spencer's Bangalore
1991 Cymroza Art Gallery, Mumbai
1990 Indian Cultural Month, Singapore
1989-1992 The Gallery, Chennai
1985 Graphics, Chitrakala Parishanth, Bangalore
1982 Regional Centre, Chennai
1981-1984 Venkatappa Art Gallery, Bangalore
1981-1982 Kritika Art Gallery
1979 Bangalore University

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2010 'Roots in the Contemporary', presented by Mahua Art Gallery, Bangalore at Kamalnayan Bajaj Art Gallery, Mumbai
2009 'Roopa Bheda', Alankritha Art Gallery, Hyderabad
2009 'The Root of Everything', Gallery Mementos, Bangalore
2005 Organized by Sumukha Art Gallery, Bangalore at London
2003 Art on Paper Fair,Organized by Gallery Sumukha at London
1999 Spastics Society, Karnataka
1999 Cymroza Art Gallery, Mumbai
1999 Karnataka Sculpture Academy
1999 British Airways Art Gallery, Mumbai
1999 Tata Steel, Jamshedpur
1999 Art Konsult, New Delhi
1999 Ashraya, Dubai
1999 Images Art Gallery
1998 World Kannada Conference at Manchester, Government of Karnataka
1998 Chitra Yatra K.L. Academy
1998 Silver Jubilee Exhibition, Cymroza Art Gallery, Mumbai
1998 Organized by Apparao Galleries, Chennai at New York, London, New Delhi
1998 'Human Form & Art', Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi
1998 Time & Space
1997 Art for Ashraya
1997 'Human Form & Art', Images Art Gallery
1997 Hyatt Regency, New Delhi
1996 Hotel Oberoi
1995 Karnataka Sculpture Academy, Gallery Maya, Hong Kong
1995 Renaissance Gallery, Windsor Manor, Bangalore
1995 Windsor Manor, Bangalore
1993 Traditional Paintings,Kannada University, Hampi
1992 Grindlay's Gallery, Chennai
1990,92,94,96,97,98 The Gallery, Chennai
1990 Annual Exhibition, Bharat Bhavan, Bhopal
1989-1990 Bharat Bhawan International, Biennale of Prints
1987 Karnataka Lalit Kala Academy & Bombay Kannada Sangha
1986 Saarc Exhibition, Chitrakala Parishanth, Bangalore
1986-1989 Sista's Art Gallery
1986, 1987, 1995 Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai
1984 Karnataka Kala Yatra
1983 Group Show at Goa
1980 Southern Art Trend Exhibition
1979, 1983, 1985, 1996 Samyojitha Group
1979 Karnataka Painters

PARTICIPATIONS
2008 'Centu- Rays', Siddaganga Institute of Technology, Tum Kur, Karnataka
2003 Presented by Gallery Sumukha, Bangalore at Singapore Art Fair, Singapore
1996 National Kala Mela
1980,81,83,86,89 Karanataka Kalamela
1981 All India Graphic Exhibition organized by Samyojitha
1980-85, 1987, 1988 National Exhibition
1985, 1995 All India Exhibition, Chitrakala Parishath, Bangalore
1979-98 Karnataka Lalit Kala Academy

HONORS AND AWARD
1981,83,95 Karnataka Lalit Kala Academy

Notification - We do not usually display JMS Mani's work, only send it to private art collectors and interested art buyers.

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