ABUL KALAM AZAD
ABUL KALAM AZAD
About I am a visual artist based in the Southern part of India. My works are largely expressions of my memories, explorations, and experiences. They deal with contemporary culture, identity, ethics, micro/macro history, gender, and eroticism. I am particularly interested in experimental and art photography. My current projects focus on a search inside South-Indian maritime history and connected cultures, inspired by ancient literature, folklore, and rituals. I have always been interested in regional initiatives and was part of several arts and cultural projects in South India. In 2012, I co-founded Ekalokam Trust for Photography, a not-for-profit foundation dedicated to protecting and promoting contemporary photography and allied art forms. I am also Editor-in-Chief of PhotoMail, an online photo-art magazine.
Shows 201-Past Forward, BIC and RMZ Foundation, Bangalore, India. 2019-Linking Lineages – Draavidia Gallery, Fort Cochin, Kerala. 2019 Linking Lineages - Alakkattu Mana, Thrissur, Kerala. 2018 Linking Lineages - The Crown Cinema, Calicut, Kerala. 2018 Elements and Fragments - Victoria Memorial Hall, Kolkata. 2017 Men of Pukar, Poompukar, Tamil Nadu. 2017 50:50 Photography - Birla Academy, Kolkata. 2015 Contemporary Heroines - Silappathikaram Festival, Kerala. 2013 Solo show in United Art Fair, New Delhi. 2013 Thekkan Kaatu (Southern Wind) - Birla Academy, Calcutta. 2013 Merging/Submerging, Artkonsult - New Delhi. 2013 HAIL show - MNF Museum, Cochin. 2013 Visual evidence - Focus Photography, Mumbai. 2013 Beatles in Rishikesh - Apparao Galleries, New Delhi. 2012 Mind the gap - United Art Fair, New Delhi. 2011 Red room - Ragini art gallery, Delhi. 2011 Photos of the gods - LIFE IN ART, Switcherland. 2011 Lens-ing it - Ashna Gallery, Delhi. 2010 Where three dreams cross - Fotomuseum Winterthur, Switcherland and White Chapel Gallery, London. 2009 India Art Summit - New Delhi. 2009 Arco Festival - Madrid, Spain. 2008 Crossovers & Overlaps - Apparao Galleries, Triveni Garden Theatre, New Delhi. 2008 Animals - Ishka art Gallery, Cochin. 2007 The whirlpool of fate - The visual art gallery, Habitat Centre, Delhi. 2007 Making history our own - AIFACS, Delhi. 2006 Untouchables - RL Fine Art, New York. 2006 Untouchables - Apparao Galleries, Madras, Delhi (preview at Kochi). 2005 Double Enders - Bombay, Delhi, Bangalore and Cochin. 2003 Remembering Bhupen - Kashi Art Gallery, Cochin. 2003 Heat - Bose Pacia Modern, New York City. 2003 Goddesses - Lila Gallery, Mayalokam, Cochin. 2003 Black Mother - Kashi Art Gallery, Cochin. 2002 Contemporary design and photography - Westferry Studio, London. 2001 Exhibition of Photography - Kashi Art Gallery. 1998 Edge of the Century - Max Muller Bhavan, New Delhi. 1997 Indien - Aspekte moderner Kunst, GTZ Gallery, Frankfurt. 1997 Gift for India - New Delhi, Bombay, Madras, Calcutta. 1997 Divine Façades - Pitshanger Museum, London. 1997 Divine Façades - Impression Gallery, Yorkshire. 1997 Divine Façades - Photographers Gallery, Edinburgh. 1996 Violence Undone - Max Mueller Bhavan, New Delhi. 1995 Cine cést ne' - Gallery Nicephore, France. 1995 Addressing Gandhi - New Delhi, Bombay, Madras, Calcutta. 1994 Frontier People - Kerala Kalapeedom, Ernakulam. 2018 Elements and Fragments - Victoria Memorial Hall, Kolkata. 2017 Men of Pukar, Poompukar, Tamil Nadu. 2017 50:50 Photography - Birla Academy, Kolkata. 2015 Contemporary Heroines - Silappathikaram Festival, Kerala. 2013 Solo show in United Art Fair, New Delhi. 2013 Thekkan Kaatu (Southern Wind) - Birla Academy, Calcutta. 2013 Merging/Submerging, Artkonsult - New Delhi. 2013 HAIL show - MNF Museum, Cochin. 2013 Visual evidence - Focus Photography, Mumbai. 2013 Beatles in Rishikesh - Apparao Galleries, New Delhi. 2012 Mind the gap - United Art Fair, New Delhi . 2011 Red room - Ragini art gallery, Delhi. 2011 Photos of the gods - LIFE IN ART, Switcherland. 2011 Lens-ing it - Ashna Gallery, Delhi. 2010 Where three dreams cross - Fotomuseum Winterthur, Switcherland and White Chapel Gallery, London. 2009 India Art Summit - New Delhi. 2009 Arco Festival - Madrid, Spain. 2008 Crossovers & Overlaps - Apparao Galleries, Triveni Garden Theatre, New Delhi. 2008 Animals - Ishka art Gallery, Cochin. 2007 The whirlpool of fate - The visual art gallery, Habitat Centre, Delhi. 2007 Making history our own - AIFACS, Delhi. 2006 Untouchables - RL Fine Art, New York. 2006 Untouchables - Apparao Galleries, Madras, Delhi (preview at Kochi). 2005 Double Enders - Bombay, Delhi, Bangalore and Cochin. 2003 Remembering Bhupen - Kashi Art Gallery, Cochin. 2003 Heat - Bose Pacia Modern, New York City. 2003 Goddesses - Lila Gallery, Mayalokam, Cochin. 2003 Black Mother - Kashi Art Gallery, Cochin. 2002 Contemporary design and photography - Westferry Studio, London. 2001 Exhibition of Photography - Kashi Art Gallery. 1998 Edge of the Century - Max Muller Bhavan, New Delhi. 1997 Indien - Aspekte moderner Kunst, GTZ Gallery, Frankfurt. 1997 Gift for India - New Delhi, Bombay, Madras, Calcutta. 1997 Divine Façades - Pitshanger Museum, London. 1997 Divine Façades - Impression Gallery, Yorkshire. 1997 Divine Façades - Photographers Gallery, Edinburgh. 1996 Violence Undone - Max Mueller Bhavan, New Delhi. 1995 Cine cést ne' - Gallery Nicephore, France. 1995 Addressing Gandhi - New Delhi, Bombay, Madras, Calcutta. 1994 Frontier People - Kerala Kalapeedom, Ernakulam.
Press The Epic And The Quotidian, A photographer uses the past to capture the present Neetu Joseph, The Times Group, 26th Jan 2019. Black, White and All In between, Priyadershini S, The Hindu, 25th January 2019. City of Yore Gokul MG, Deccan Chronicle, 12th Jan 2019. Frames that link the present times to Puhar The Hindu, 9th Jan 2019. Photography as Art The Hindu, Sarvasti Data, 6th March 2018. What you see when you see: A significant exposition of Visual Arts Suresh Jayaram, Bangalore Mirror, India Times, 10th January 2015. 365 days of visual history K Pradeep, The Hindu, 7th January 2015. Lens-ing It Art Expo India Blogspot, 14th May 2011. Hail the forty Shilpa Nair Anand, 10th February 2010. Pixilated images, private thought The Hindu, 12th October 2006. Exploring Every Angle Priyadershini Sharma, The Hindu, 16th June 2006. Contemporary Photography The Hindu, 5th October 2006. The Hindu: Cultures merge across the backwaters The Hindu, 25th December 2003. Unembellished, stark stills The Hindu, 27th March 2003. Images of Female Power The Hindu, 26th March 2003. Variant Issue 4 Divine Façades, [ See PDF ] Michelle McGuire, Variant.org.uk, 1997.
Grants | Award | Residency 2017-19 India Foundation for the Arts, Arts Practice Grant for Photography ,2012-14 Senior Art Fellowship for Photography, Ministry of Culture, Government of India, 1995-96 Charles Wallace Award for Masters in Surrey Institute of Art & Design, (University College), UK, 1994 - 95 French Government Residency Scholarship for Printmaking in photography
Comments