Akbar Padamsee, Painter
Painter

Akbar Padamsee

Born 12 February 1928 · Maharashtra — Died 6 January 2020

Created the influential 'Metascapes' series pioneering abstract Indian modern art.

Akbar Padamsee was an Indian artist and painter, considered one of the pioneers in modern Indian painting along with S.H. Raza, F.N. Souza and M.F. Husain.

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A detail that
surprised us

“

His 11-minute experimental film Syzygy, shown at UNESCO in Paris in the early 1970s, was said to give audiences headaches due to its mathematical complexity.

The Story

1
🎨 In 1951, Akbar Padamsee skipped the first two years and joined directly into the third year at Sir J.J. School of Art in Mumbai, reflecting his early mastery and unique approach to art education.
2
🖼️ In 1952, just a year after graduating, Padamsee won a prize awarded by André Breton on behalf of the Journale d’art in Paris, marking his entry into the European modernist art scene.
3In 1954, he faced obscenity charges over two paintings, Lovers No. 1 and Lovers No. 2, exhibited at Jehangir Art Gallery in Mumbai, a rare legal battle for an Indian artist at the time.
4🎥 Between 1969 and 1972, he pioneered the interdisciplinary platform called VIEW in Mumbai, combining art, film, and collaboration, notably creating the experimental animated film Syzygy, which bewildered audiences at a UNESCO screening in Paris.

🏅 Awards & Honours

—
Padma Bhushan

🔍 One thing most people don't know

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In 1954, Padamsee defended himself against obscenity charges filed over his paintings Lovers No. 1 and Lovers No. 2, a rare legal challenge for artists in India at that time.

🖼️

Through the Years

3 photographs from the archives
Akbar Padamsee with FN Souza and Raza in Paris, a key moment in Indian modern art (1952)
Akbar Padamsee with FN Souza and Raza in Paris, a key moment in Indian modern art (1952)
1952
Akbar Padamsee visiting artist Beohar Rammanohar Sinha to view his paintings (1992)
Portrait of Akbar Padamsee featured in the book शिल्पकार चरित्रकोश खंड ६ - दृश्यकला (2013)

🗓️ A Life in Moments

🕊️
Birth
Born in Bombay, Maharashtra
Akbar Padamsee was born into a traditional Khoja Muslim family with roots in Kutch, Gujarat.
1928
📚
Education
Graduated from Sir J.J. School of Art
Padamsee bypassed the first two years and joined directly into third year, reflecting his early artistic skills.
1951
🏅
Award
Awarded prize by André Breton in Paris
He received recognition from the founder of Surrealism, connecting him to European avant-garde art.
1952
🌟
Other
Faced obscenity charges for paintings
His works Lovers No. 1 and Lovers No. 2 were legally challenged at Jehangir Art Gallery in Mumbai.
1954
⚡
Career
Founded interdisciplinary art platform VIEW
VIEW fostered collaboration across art forms in Mumbai, including film and experimental works.
1969
🏅
Award
Awarded Padma Bhushan
India’s third highest civilian award honored his lifetime contributions to art.
2010
⚡
Career
Reclining Nude sold at Sotheby's New York
This painting fetched US$1,426,500, marking a high-value sale for modern Indian art.
2011
🕊️
Death
Death in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu
Padamsee passed away at age 91, ending a career spanning nearly seven decades.
2020
More moments to come...
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🗝️Discoveries

Swipe to uncover hidden stories
01 / 04
🏆ACHIEVEMENT

His painting Greek Landscape was auctioned for Rs 19.19 crore at a Saffronart auction in 2016, demonstrating the high commercial value of his mid-20th century work.

02 / 04
🏆ACHIEVEMENT

In 1952, Padamsee was awarded a prize by André Breton in Paris, connecting him directly with European surrealist and modernist movements early in his career.

03 / 04
🌍HISTORICAL IMPACT

Between 1969 and 1972, Padamsee created VIEW, an interdisciplinary art space in Mumbai, influencing the fusion of multiple art forms in India.

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"Art for me is to express the invisible. No morality, no values, no hierarchy can enter its field."

— Akbar Padamsee

🎙️ Speeches & Recordings

These recordings preserve the legacy of Bharat's icons
Looking At Art - Akbar Padamsee's Painting

🌱 What changed because of them

Akbar Padamsee’s role as a founding member of the Progressive Artists' Group helped dismantle colonial artistic norms and introduced abstraction and introspection into Indian modernism. His establishment of the interdisciplinary VIEW platform fostered collaboration between artists, filmmakers, and photographers, influencing Mumbai’s cultural scene. His artistic philosophy encouraged generations of Indian artists to explore psychological and philosophical themes beyond traditional representational art.

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