Biography

Shakti Maira is a critically acclaimed artist-philosopher from India. His work as a sculptor, painter and printmaker has been widely exhibited, and is largely centered in a Buddhism-inspired spirituality. It is in the collections of the National Gallery of Modern Art in India and in private collections around the world.

He has written extensively on art, design and aesthetics, and is the author of two books – Towards Ananda: Rethinking Indian Art and Aesthetics and The Promise of Beauty & Why it Matters. He has conducted a number of art workshops in schools in India and abroad, and has been a guest lecturer on art and aesthetics in U.S. colleges. He has been invited to speak at several international events, including the International Arts Education Symposium in Seoul, the Mystics & Scientists Conferences in the UK, and the Edinburgh International Festival.

He was born in 1947 in Shimla, and lives in New Delhi.

One Person Exhibitions

• Subverting Duchamp, Celebrating Beauty, Reconnecting with Mumbai

  2019, Tao Art Gallery, Mumbai

• Formed Resonance: Sculpture and Drawings

  2017, India International Centre, New Delhi

• The Sangha: A Creative Journey (1989 – 2011)

  2012, India International Centre, New Delhi

• Seekers

  2012, India Art Fair, New Delhi

• Bhumi – Selected work

  2010, India International Centre, New Delhi

• Beej

  2003, Jamaat Art Gallery, Mumbai; Shridharani Art Gallery, New Delhi

• Pilgrim’s Path & Transitional Self

  2001, Shridharani Gallery, New Delhi; Jamaat Art Gallery, Mumbai

• Bodhi Series

  1999 , Jehangir Art Gallery, Bombay; The Fine Art Company Gallery, Bombay

• Chitrakala: Celebrating Indian Art on India’s 50th anniversary of Independence

  1998, Galerie Grewal Mohanjeet, Paris

• Insight/Absorption (Folding panels) & Silent Witnesses (Ceramic Sculpture)

  1997, Shridharani Gallery, New Delhi; Taj Art Gallery, Bombay

• Ganga as Grace

  1995, The Village Gallery, New Delhi

• Sculpture, Marble Paintings & Prints

  1994, Shridharani Gallery, New Delhi

• Recent Work

  1994, Windsor Gallery, Bangalore

• Intimations of Transcendence & Sunyatta

  1992, Cymroza Gallery, Bombay

• Intimations of Transcendence

  1991, Lalit Kala Academy (National Arts Academy), New Delhi

• Paintings and Drawings

  1990, India International Centre, New Delhi

• Chikai Bardo Series

  1990, New England College Gallery, Henniker

• Fallen God Series

  1989, Triveni Gallery, New Delhi

• Fallen God Series

  1989, Taj Art Gallery, Bombay

• New Hampshire Drawings

  1988, Triveni Gallery, New Delhi

• Meditation in Landscape

  1985, Salon des Artistes, Boston

• Mountains Breathing, Whispering Mandalas

  1979, Taj Art Gallery, Bombay

• Mountain Ways and Mist of Mind

  1978, Taj Art Gallery, Bombay

• Waves of Sea, Waves of Mind

  1976, Taj Art Gallery, Bombay

• Monsoon Skies

  1974, Taj Art Gallery, Bombay

• Untitled

  1973, Taj Art Gallery, Bombay

Group Shows

Bombay, Los Angeles, Colombo, Manchester, Concord, Acton, Portland, Newport, Washington DC, Portsmouth, New York, Henniker, Boston, New Delhi, Santa Fe, Cambridge, Bangalore, Rotterdam, Hollis and Madras.

Books

• The Promise of Beauty and Why It Matters

  2017, Harper Collins India

• Artistic Visions and the Promise of Beauty

  Cross-Cultural Perspectives

  Co-edited with Kathleen Higgins and Sonia Sikka
  2016, Springer International Publishing, Switzerland

• Towards Ananda

  Rethinking Indian Art and Aesthetics

  2006, Penguin Viking India, New Delhi

Essays

• The Cult of the Goddess

  Edited by Arputha Rani Sengupta
  2015, DK Printworld, New Delhi

• Transmissions and Transformations

  Edited by Kapila Vatsyayan
  2011, Primus Books, New Delhi

• Educating for Creativity

  An Asian Vision of Arts in Education

  2005, UNESCO, Bangkok

• Learning through the Arts

  2005, IIC Quarterly, New Delhi

Columns and Articles

2002 – 2014, The Hindu, First City Magazine, Resurgence and Design Today Magazine

Public Talks and Seminars

• Mystics & Scientists Conference: The Nature of Inspiration in Art, Science and Spirituality

  Inspiration in Art: Unfolding, Connecting, Forming

  2013, University of Warwick, Warwick, England

• Symposium on Biology and Beyond

  Art & Science

  2012, CCMB, Hyderabad

• International Seminar on The End of Art and the Promise of Beauty

  The Hollowing of Art and the Call of Beauty

  2012, New Delhi

• Edinburgh International Festival

  Heirlooms Panel

  2011, Edinburgh, Scotland

• Ramsay Garden Seminars

  View from India – Rebalancing Economic Policy as if Aesthetics Mattered

  2011, Edinburgh, Scotland

• Cortona India

  Beauty – A Fundamental Organizing System in a Relational World

  2010, Hyderabad

• Glasgow Centre for Population Health

  Nested Relationships: Beauty, Aesthetics, Art and Happiness (BAAH!)

  2009, Glasgow, Scotland

• The Attic Sacred Arts Festival

  Insight Forms: Creating a Contemporary Spiritual Art Language

  2009, New Delhi

• Mystics & Scientists

  Beauty – A Master Key for Sustainable Relationships

  2009, London

• Mystics & Scientists Conference: The Science of Well-Being and the Experience of Bliss

  Bliss and Beauty - An Indian Vision

  2009, University College, Winchester

• Sharpham House

  Buddhist Aesthetics and Contemporary Dharma Art

  2008, Devon

• INTACH Seminar

  Chairperson - Best Practices in Intangible Heritage Education

  2008, New Delhi

• The Attic

  Buddhist Aesthetics and the Spiritual in Contemporary Art Practice

  2008, New Delhi

• Jamia Millia Islamia

  Seminar on 'Visualizing the Sacred: Fine Arts and the World Religious Traditions'; Valedictory Address: The Spiritual in Art: A personal exploration

  2007, New Delhi

• International Indology Conference

  Indian Aesthetics in Everyday Life

  2006, Goa

• The National Museum Institute

  Seminar on Cult of the Goddess Past & Present in Indian Art - The Goddess Steps out of the Iconographic Frame

  2005, New Delhi

• Korean Arts and Culture Education Service & Korean Association of Arts Education: International Arts Education Symposium

  Creative Partnership: Theory and Practice in the Field of Arts Education

  2005, Seoul

• India International Centre

  Symposium on Learning through the Arts in Asia

  2005, New Delhi

• Indian Institute of Advanced Studies

  Identity, Influences and Initiatives in Contemporary Asian Art and Aesthetics

  2004, Shimla

• Natya Kala Conference

  Suggestion in Art

  2003, Chennai

• Brown University

  Spirituality in Landscape

  1989, Providence, RI

Lectures and School Workshops

• Navdanya-Bija

  Beauty and Ecology

  2010, Dehradun

• Art from Indian Hands Workshops for Schools

  2000-2007, Rajghat Krishnamurti School, Varanasi; Akanksha, Mumbai; Woodstock School (with Harvard University Art in School Program), Mussoorie; Navdanya-Bija, Dehradun; Bluebells International School, New Delhi; Sriram Junior School, New Delhi; Sriram Senior School, Gurgaon; Mayo Girls, Ajmer; Pathways School, Dubai

• Plymouth State University

  Multiculturism and the Arts

  2000, Plymouth, NH

• Arts in Education Program, NH State Council on the Art

  Roster Artist

  1999-2001, Concord, NH

• New Hampshire Allstate Art Festival

  Faculty Artist

  1999-2000, Currier Gallery, Manchester, NH

• Arts in Education Conference, NH State Council on the Art

  1999, Concord, NH

• Holderness School

  Faculty on 'Artward Bound' Program

  1998, Holderness, NH

• New England College

  Buddhism 101

  1990, Henniker, NH

• Rivier College

  Guest Lecturer

  1990-94, Nashua, NH

Outreach

• NCERT Committee of Arts Education Curriculum

  2006, New Delhi

• The India Foundation for the Arts (IFA)

  Consultant

  2006, Bangalore

• Art Camp

  2004, Mayo College, Ajmer

• The Arts India Artists' Camp

  1997, Mumbai

• New England Sculptors Association

  Juried Member

  1990-1991, Boston, MA

• Integral Institute, Integral Art Branch

  Founding Member

  1990, Boulder, CO

• New Hampshire Art Association

  Director

  1989-91, NH

Collections

National Gallery of Modern Art, India and leading corporate and private collections in India, U.S. and Europe.

Education

• Indian Institute of Management

  Ahmedabad

• St Stephen’s College

  Delhi

• Mayo College

  Ajmer