Raghava KK
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Raghava KK was born in 1980 in Bangalore, India and has traveled extensively around the world. He is a self-taught artist working in a variety of mediums ranging from painting, performance, installation, sculpture to film. He began his career working as a cartoonist for national newspapers in India. He quickly became interested in the artist’s journey, intrigued by the wide range of possibilities the world of art has to offer.
Stylistically, Raghava exerts a broad range of techniques. His work frequently investigates the human figure and confronts issues of gender, beauty, idealism, unconventionality and societal conformity. His androgynous depictions of the human figure challenge the cultural notions of gender roles, sexuality, and power structures developed throughout political and visual histories. He often plays with the combination of realistic renderings injunction with caricatured forms to delineate its actual existence in comparison to its exaggerated and mutated manifestation. Raghava’s work employs mythological references, confessional narratives and utilizes the juxtaposition of iconic and grotesque depictions to evoke dialogues pertaining to the concept of the hybrid. As he evolves and encounters new experiences his work also undergoes transitions relevant to the time period in which it was executed. Raghava believes in continually reinventing himself through the exploration of new ideas and materials and does not limit himself to specific genres.
Private Collectors, celebrities and important figures in the international art scene instantly recognized his talent. Raghava’s work has been auctioned by Queens Museum, Christie’s NY and he was recently invited to show his work at Carre d’Arte Contemporain in Nimes, France. Raghava has received grants from various organizations including the Robin Hood Foundation and the American India Foundation. He has taught and lectured at multiple Art Institutes across the world. Raghava resides and works in both India and the United States.
Significant Solo Exhibitions:
2008-September-Art Musings-Mumbai, India
2007-December-Gallery Art Chamber-Goa, India
2007-October-Carre d’Art: Musee d’Art Contemporain-Nimes, France
2007-October-Gallery 27/Visual Art UK-London, England, UK
2007-March-Crimson Art Gallery-“Venice Suite’-Bangalore, India
2006-March-ARTANA Gallery- Boston, USA
2005-November-Time and Space Art Gallery-Bangalore, India
2004-December-‘Atypical Attiudes’-Ashvita Gallery-Chennai, India
2004- June- The Gallery at the Courtyard (Ashish Balram Nagpal Gallery)- Mumbai, India
Significant Group Exhibitions:
2008-Gallery Art Positive-New Delhi, India
2008-Pardah-EnGendered-Lincoln Center-New York, New York, USA
2007-December-Art in Step-Gallerie Ganesha and Habitat Centre-New Delhi, India
2007-March-Mahua Art Gallery-Bangalore, India
2007-January-‘Young Masters’-Gallery Art Chamber, Galeria de Belas Artes-Goa, India
2006-August-‘1001 Art Money’-Øksnehallen Gallery-Copenhagen, Denmark
2006-April-‘Spectra’-Gallery Katayun-Calcutta, India
2003- November- Peter Louis Arts- Chicago, USA
2002- Peck Gallery- Providence, RI, USA
2000- Gallery Zen- Bangalore, India
Significant Art Auctions:
2008-Indian Art Auction-Bid and Hammer Auction House-Bangalore, India
2004 Lincoln Center, NY, USA-conducted by Christie’s, curated by IAAC
2004 ‘Summer Gala Auction’- Queens Museum- Queens, NY, USA
Performance Art Shows:
2007 Nimes, France-collaboration with flamenco singer Pepe Linares
2005 San Jose Convention Center, San Jose, CA, USA-‘Anthropomorphism:
When Paintings Dance’
Significant Lectures and Talks:
2007 Ecole des Beaux-Arts-Nimes, France
2006 New Hampshire Institute of Art-Manchester, New Hampshire, USA
2006 Copenhagen Business School, Copenhagen University-Copenhagen, Denmark
2006 Changing Perspectives-presented paper on the pedagogy of art
Stella Maris College-Chennai, India
2004 Arts India West Gallery- Palo Alto, CA, USA
1998 Habitat Center- New Delhi, India
Significant Collaborative Projects:
2007 London Fashion Week-Ravage Bricolage-collaboration with designers (Ravage)
to create art-inspired fashion line
2006 In the Moment-Collaborative dance, music, acting, painting with artists from Italy, France,
Germany, Australia, USA, Switzerland, India-Time and Space Art Gallery-Bangalore, India
2005 Created sand installation with artist Andres Amador-San Francisco, CA, USA
2003 Created mural with artist Farid Belkahia-Bouznika, Morocco