India Habitat Centre and Art India Magazine present the Promising Artist Award for the year 2006 to Shiv Kumar Verma

Shiv Kumar Verma

Shiv Kumar Verma, alumni of the Faculty of Fine Arts, M.S.University, Baroda, was born and brought up in Kondagaon, a small village in the Bastar district, a region famous for its traditional arts. Right from his childhood, he realized that he did not want to become just another craftsman repeatedly creating artifacts for mass production. Instead he wanted to lend his own interpretation to these craft techniques and art forms. Today he uses natural materials like bronze and local mud to create sculptural works that represent human emotions and reveal shades of everyday living. His recent works are about transgenic vegetables/fruits which appear to indicate the folk elements and the interference of various external forces like science, technology etc. The materials used in these works lend the emotive value of ‘nature’. Shiv wants to continue working in the same mediums, and explore and experiment with the material like chrome coating, auto coating, stainless steel, powder coating, patina, galvanizing and its various modes of casting. He hopes to return to his homeland one day and work with his people, teaching them news ways to expressing art.

Promising Artist Award 2006 - Special Commendations

Vishal Dar

Vishal K Dar is an artist/designer who uses digital animation software, prototyping technology and new media to produce archi-sculptures and art installations. His name features in CGI, a book on computer generated imagery as the art of the 21st century. Mentored by architect/designer Greg Lynn, his art explores ‘digital ornamentation’ as the core theme. He was the first Indian to be enrolled in the New Media graduate program at UCLA. He designed and curated Delhi’s first interactive art show for the Media Gallery. Last year he initiated a workshop program at the National School of Drama, which deals with new media in performance art and theatre. Having taught at UCLA, lectured at IIT, presented his work at international venues, Vishal now resides and works out of his studio in Delhi.

Abhishek Hazra

Abhishek Hazra graduated as a Graphic Designer from the Srishti College of Art, Design in 2002. This Bangalore based artist is particularly interested in the social history of science and contemporary scholarship in the humanities, particularly South Asian studies. Computer forms an essential part of his working process, and almost all his works are primarily digital prints. Between 2002 and early 2006, apart from working on his own projects as a visual artist, Abhishek has been working as a designer in various professional contexts. He held his first solo exhibition in 2006 at Gallery SKE, Bangalore and has also been associated with Doors of Perception, an international conference and knowledge network of artists, designers and theoreticians.

Please note: The awards will be given away at our Annual Arts Evening on 19th November 2006 at the Amphitheatre, IHC, from 6.30pm onwards, in the presence of our Guest of Honor - Mr Shyam Benegal.