Arpana Caur
Presented by: Harpreet Kaur
Class: M. A. Painting (4th sem)
Introduction:
● Arpana Caur is an Indian contemporary painter and graphic artist.
She has left an indelible mark on the art world.
● She exhibits dynamism and deep inside in her depictions of women's
conditions in modern India.
● A self-taught artist, Caur’s portrayals of women in urban environments
reflect her concerns with the issues of our time: life and death,
violence, the environment and women’s issues.
● Clothing is a recurring theme in her work, both reinforcing and
undermining the established image of women.
Early life and education:
● Arpana Caur was born in 1954 in a cultured Sikh family who hails from
Lahore and got established in Patel Nagar at Delhi after the partition.
● Her father Late Shri Rajendra Singh ji passed away when she was just
three years old.
● Arpana grew up in an environment that was rich in art and music.
● Arpana’s mother is an award winning novelist, whose influence resonates
in her every essence.
● She has not had her first name Arpana since her birth, but she adopted it
at the age of fifteen, as an expression of a personal development
process.
● Despite not having formal training in painting, she discovered her
passion for it. At the age of nine, she created her first oil painting
“Mother and Daughter”, inspired by the works of the renowned artist
Amrita Shergil.
● Arpana graduated from the University of Delhi with a Master of Arts
degree in literature in 1975.
● Later she received training in the etching technique at the Garhi
Studios in New Delhi, completing it in 1982.
● In an interview with Yashodhara Dalmia, when asked if she called
herself a ‘feminist’, Caur immediately replied with a resounding ‘no’
because the themes she incorporates or is curious about go beyond
gender and ones that every human is faced with.
● Later she decided to pursue her education in fine arts and hence
went to London to join St. Mortin School to pursue one one-year
advanced course in Fine Arts but she could not concentrate on the
course and came back to her country within one month.
● "She says that I still remember the days when I participated in an
exhibition organized by M.F. Hussain for young artists. I sent my six
paintings for that show and was quite surprised to know that M.F.
Hussain has accepted all six paintings for the exhibition. I was
stunned by viewing the paintings in that exhibition. I also got an
appreciation for my paintings in that exhibition and four of my
paintings were sold immensely and in this way entered the world of
fine arts.
Themes and Infuences:
● Arpana Caur’s paintings are deeply influenced by the events and
societal situations around her. She focuses on social issues, often
highlighting the plight of victims.
● Her works draw inspiration from various traditions, including Gond,
Madhubani, Pahari miniatures, Punjabi literature and folk art.
These diverse influences enrich her artistic expression.
● The central figure in many of her works is the “woman”. Clothing is a
recurring theme, both reinforcing and challenging established images
of women.
● Arpana’s art also reflects themes of spirituality, time, life, and
death. Nature and human figures play pivotal roles in the
narratives she weaves through her creations.
● Her mother’s strong influence on her extended into her works,
where ‘women’ often occupies a central focus.
● One will notice that Caur’s works encompass paintings with
watercolor, gauche, and sculptures that are layered with motifs,
myths, and stories that the artist purposefully references. It is
important to point out that she used the ‘scissors’ motif so often
that it earned her the pet name Kainchi.
Collaborations and Noteworthy Achievements:
● In the 1990s, Arpana collaborated with Indian folk artists from indigenous
ethnic groups such as Warli and Godna. These artists hailed from the
Madhubani region in the Indian state of Bihar.
● Her exhibitions have spanned major cities in India and international locations,
including London, Glasgow, Berlin, Amsterdam, Singapore, Munich, and New
York.
● In 1995, she was commissioned to do a large work “Tears from Hiroshima”
by the Hiroshima Museum of Modern Art to create a mural to mark the 50th
anniversary of the bombings. This work was also shown at the Documenta at
Kassel. Interestingly, the artist was afraid of the temporary aspect of this
installation and decided to add pots brimming with water signifying tears in the
context of the man-made tragedy.
Paper works:
Murals
Book Illustrations
Oil Paintings
Sculptures
