The simple, rustic folk of the Deccan Plateau in South India, with strong Dravidian (an ancient race in South India) features, are the subjects of J.M.S. Mani's paintings. His art is an amalgamation of Indian culture with Occidental Western formalism. His figures are modeled in three-dimensional form, with bold brushwork, similar in style to those of the impressionists.
Mani chooses to depict his characters, the balloon seller, the women with a rooster, in a simple and uncluttered manner. They narrate an untold tale; much like the famous "Dancing Girl" of the ancient Mohenjodaran civilization of the Indus Valley; a tale that tells of the origins of an entire race. Though seemingly simple, Mani's images too, are representative of an entire civilization. The pulsating colours in his paintings offset the dark skin of his characters, creating a sense of drama in his compositions. And it is his colours and compositions which are expressive, rather than the figures themselves. The figures appear to have been frozen within the canvas, and their beauty and grace is enhanced by the restricted use of gestures and expressions.
J.M.S. Mani has a diploma in Drawing and Painting from the Ken School of Art, Bangalore. He won the Karnataka Lait Kala Akademi Award from 1981 to 1983. He has had 19 shows across India and in London. He has participated in 43 group shows, such as the SAARC Exhibition at the Chitra Kala Parishath, Bangalore and the Bharat Bhavan International Biennale of Prints in 1989. He currently lives and works in Bangalore.
"The historical location of Badami, as well as the innocence of the people there, who I find very hardworking and honest in all their ways, inspire me to capture their simplicity through my paintings."
Born
1949, Bangalore
Education
• Studied at the Ken School of Art, Bangalore
Solo Shows
• 1979 Bangalore University
• 1981-1982 Kritika Art Gallery
• 1981-1984 Veketappa Art Gallery
• 1982 Regional Centre, Chennai
• 1985 Chitrakala Parishanth, Graphics
• 1989-1992 The Gallery, Chennai
• 1990 K.C. Das
• 1990 Indian Cultural Month, Singapore
• 1991 Cymroza Art Gallery
• 1992 Spencer's Bangalore
• 1993 Kufa Art Gallery, London
• 1994 Lee Arthur Gallery, New York
• 1994 Gallery Aurobindo, New Delhi
• 1995 Renaissance Gallery, Graphics
• 1995 Gallery Maya, Hong Kong
• 1995 Mall Gallery, London
• 1995 Switzerland, Graphics
• 1996 Crimson Art Gallery, Bangalore
• 1999, 2000, 2001 The Gallery, Mumbai
• 2001 Gallery Sumukha
• 2002 Nagpur
• 2003 Gallery 88, Kolkata, by Gallery Sumukha
• 2003 Painting Exhibition at Sumukha Art Gallery, Bangalore
• 2004 Painting Exhibition at Chennai by Sumukha Art Gallery, Bangalore
Group Shows
• 1979-1998 Karnataka Lalit Kala Academy
• 1979, 1983. 1985. 1996 Samyojitha Group
• 1979 Karnataka Painters
• 1980-85, 1987, 1988 National Exhibition
• 1980 Southern Art Trend Exhibition
• 1981 All India Graphic Exhibition by Samyojitha
• 1980, 1981, 1983, 1986, 1989 Karanataka Kalamela
• 1983 Group Show at Goa
• 1984 Karnataka Kala Yatra
• 1985, 1995 All India Exhibition, Chitrakala Parishath
• 1986 Saarc Exhibition, Chitrakala Parishanth, Bangalore
• 1986-1989 Sista's Art Gallery
• 1986, 1987, 1995 Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai
• 1987 Karnataka Lalit Kala Academy & Bombay Kannada Sangha
• 1989-1990 Bharat Bhawan International, Biennale of Prints
• 1990, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998 The Gallery, Chennai
• 1990 Annual Exhibition, Bharat Bhavan, Bhopal
• 1992 Grindlay's Gallery, Chennai
• 1993 Traditional Paintings,Kannada University, Hampi
• 1995 Karnataka Sculpture Academy, Gallery Maya, Hong Kong
• 1995 Renaissance Gallery, Windsor Manor, Bangalore
• 1995 Windsor Manor, Bangalore
• 1996 Hotel Oberoi
• 1996 National Kala Mela
• 1997 Art for Ashraya
• 1997 Human Form & Art, Images Art Gallery
• 1997 Hyatt Regency, Delhi
• 1997 Mudra Art Foundation, All India Artists' Camp, Pune
• 1998 World Kannada Conference at Manchester, Govt. of Karnataka
• 1998 Chitra Yatra K.L. Academy
• 1998 Cymroza Art Gallery, Silver Jubilee Exhibition, Mumbai
• 1998 New York, London, Delhi, Apparao Galleries, Chennai
• 1998 Human Form & Art, Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi
• 1998 Time & Space
• 1999 Images Art Gallery
• 1999 Karnataka Sculpture Academy
• 1999 British Airways Art Gallery, Mumbai
• 1999 Tata Steel, Jamshedpur
• 1999 Art Konsult, Delhi
• 1999 Customer Care
• 1999 Ashraya, Dubai
• 1999 Spastics Society, Karnataka
• 1999 Cymroza Art Gallery
• 2003 Singapore Art Fair, Gallery Sumukha
• 2003 Art on Paper Fair, London, Gallery Sumukha
• 2005 Group Show at London By Sumukha Art Gallery, Bangalore