ARTIST Varun Baggi
Varun Baggi has dealt and experimented with various different materials in his drawings. He primarily focuses on analysis of human expression with material value and surrounding space. In his artwork, dissolving contours of his repetitive, moving, hatching lines which encompass the whole area of the space creates a kind of mystery. It also represents the chaotic situation of his outer world.
Varun Baggi born in Delhi, later moved to Faridabad, NCR area where he was brought up and presently works professionally as a Young Art Practitioner for the last 11 years in New Delhi, India.
His drawings reflect pain, empathy, fear, frustration and the violence of his outer world’s surroundings which always flickers in his mind, sometimes it takes the form of a windstorm ,twister, smoke, semi abstract or abstract or distorted figures.
In his artworks, the turbulence of the subjects involved violence in which the human figure are bending and twisted to the limits of endurance, faces neither male nor female like a soul, big hands, the concept of flux or metamorphosis in which the figures emerge from or sink into the mind storm itself, are in the process of birth or death emerges in his artwork.
‘Trapped’, Varun Baggi, Pen on paper, 2020
During his career, he has been awarded as North Zone Bronze Medal Award from Prafulla Dhanukar Foundation, State Artist Award from Rajasthan Lalit Kala Academy. He has done various Workshops, National Camps and exhibited in various international exhibitions, Drawing Exchange Programme, Art Festivals , Museums, and Drawing Beinnale also. At present, Varun works and lives in New Delhi, India.
My primarily focus on analysis of human expression with material value and surrounding space. I am obsessed with human existence, relation between society and me; chaotic social situations, its violence, political up and downs affects my inner world of imagination drastically find expressions in my art works through Dissolving contours of my repetitive, moving, hatching lines which encompass the whole area of the space creates a kind of mystery.
It also represents the chaotic situation of our outer world. My artwork reflects pain, empathy and the violence of our world which always flickers in my mind, sometimes it takes the form of a windstorm or a twister; it often appears as distorted figures. I wish to transform the world into an apocalyptic satirical event in my claustrophobic compositions.
At first the work dealt with the positioning of narrative entirely and unceasingly within consciousness that accounts for the lack of external revelation from the outer world.
‘Relationship Crisis 2’, Varun Baggi (Detail),
Ball Pen, 2019Â
Later in my artistic career, I moved myself in such consign of metropolis which is very eminent for industrial undertakings. After an intense experience in this part of the city of Faridabad and my love for nature, I could see the various black colours produced and is emitted in diverse spaces from these industrial regiments.
Gradually these gathered experiences were reflected on my paintings and then I started executing my work with reality and illusion, resembling chaotic human situations. The smoke which I use in my work is emblematic to those black ensigns discharged from those industrial regiments.
I tried to emphasise those machines, to humanise the emotions, pain, empathy and the struggle is dissolved within the contours and forceful lines.
Nature for me is an endless power which nobody can destroy, which has inspired me and my works. In my creation I try to depict different ‘faces’ of nature which are mysterious in nature. In the near future, I would like to focus my project on exploring the analysis of human expression and material value.
ARTIST’S Accolades
Residencies & Awards
- 2017: North Zone Bronze Medal Award In Drawing from Prafulla Dhanukar Foundation, Mumbai
- 2015: Rajasthan State Lalit Kala Award In Artist Category, from Rajasthan Lalit Kala Academy
- 2016: Gold Medalist Topper Award, Masters in Visual Art, from University of Rajasthan
- 2013: Gold Medalist Topper Award, Bachelors in Visual Art, from University of Rajasthan
Exhibitions
Solo Exhibitions:
- 2020: International Creative Exchange Programme ‘Diversity of Line & Space’, Gallery Artoz, Udaipur
- 2020:’Rajasthan Great Contemporary Art Show’ organized by Jawahar Kala Kendra, Jaipur
- 2019: ‘ When Things Become Thought’ at Jawahar Kala Kendra
- 2017: International Exhibition of Drawing and Prints at International Centre Roaches, Naggar (Kullu, Himachal Pradesh)
Group Exhibitions:
- ‘The Erotic as Human Nature’ International Online Exhibition, Happenstance Art Gallery, Scarborough, UK
- 2020: International Online Art Exhibition, Florence Contemporary Gallery, Italy
- 2020: International Online Exhibition, International Art Project Group, Istanbul, Turkey
- 2020: International Online Group Art Exhibition ‘Unknown 2020’, Asymmetry Art Group, Madhya Pradesh, India
- 2020: National Virtual Exhibition, Affect Art in collaboration with Artbuzz Studio.
- 2020: International Virtual Exhibition, Art Novelty Gallery, 37 Countries 1 Platform, Curated by Lalhming Mawii
- 2020: International Virtual Exhibition organized by Art’est: An Art Abode
- 2019: ‘Goa Affordable Art Fest’ at Museum of Goa, Goa
- 2019: International Exhibition, Blue Rhino in Istanbul, Turkey
- 2019: 1st Tagore International Literature and Arts Festival, Bhopal, MP
- 2019: Annual Exhibition by All India Academy of Arts, Amritsar, Punjab
- 2019: ‘International Drawing Beinnale’, Organized by Ankan Art Associates, New Delhi
- 2019: All India 3rd Annual Exhibition at Arpana Fine Art Gallery, New Delhi
- 2018: ‘DRAWING IS DEAD’, Khirki Studio, New Delhi
- 2018: All India Art Exhibition by Kala Uday Society Kurukshetra, Haryana at Museum of Fine Art, Punjab University Chandigarh
- 2018: India 2nd Annual Exhibition organised by Indian Contemporary Artist Guild, Siliguri.
- 2017: Annual Exhibition from AIFACS, New Delhi
- 2017: Online exhibition, Bindaas Artist Group
- 2014: National Exhibition In Jawahar Kala Kendra, Ava Welfare Society
- 2015: Annual Exhibition, Rajasthan Lalit Kala Academy , Jaipur, Rajasthan
Education
- Masters in Visual Art, Painting, from University of Rajasthan, Jaipur, 2016
- Bachelor Degree in Visual Art, Painting, from University of Rajasthan, Jaipur, 2013