About

Awdhesh Tamrakar’s work deals with movements, migration, and quests for identity, belonging, and home. His last name, Tamrakar, translates to “craftsperson of copper,” which signifies his family and community’s identity. The materials he uses in his practice are not merely for aesthetic or artistic purposes but also serve as an identity of his heritage. He employs a range of techniques and materials commonly used in the indigenous tradition of utensil making.

Tamrakar was born in Shahgarh (a small town between Khajuraho and Sanchi) Madhya Pradesh in 1989. He completed his Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in the discipline of Sculpture from the Faculty of Fine Arts, M.S. University Baroda, in 2013 and 2015 respectively.

Tamrakar has been awarded a Gold Medal from the Department of Sculpture, Faculty of Fine Arts, Baroda in 2015, the Chinmoy Pramanik Memorial Award, Faculty of Fine Art, Baroda in 2015, and the Emerging Master Award, Sarjan Art Gallery, Baroda in 2014.

His solo exhibitions include Dūr-darāz at Shrine Empire Gallery, New Delhi in 2022, Muted Mathaar: Supported by The Raza Foundation on the occasion of 100 years of S H Raza, held at Triveni Art Gallery, New Delhi in 2021, and Unfastened Association, was supported by SCZCC, Nagpur, held at Faculty of Fine Arts, Baroda in 2016.

Some of his recent group shows and projects include, Indian Ceramic Triennale 2024; Art Mumbai 2023; DCAW 2023; Art Fair 2023; Thinking Matters, curated by Mario Dsouza, Space Studio Baroda, 2020; Heads in the cloud, Five Million Incidents, conceived in collaboration with Raqs Media Collective and organized by Goethe Institut/ Max Mueller Bhawan, New Delhi and Kolkata,2020; Art and Science Dialogue, Collaboration project with TIFR Hyderabad, 2018; Madhyama curated by Akhilesh, Raza Foundation, Delhi,2018; ID-ENTITY Curated by Zero Gravity Collective, New Delhi, 2018; Displaced Places, Utsha Foundation, Bhubaneswar, Odisha 2017.

Tamrakar taught as a Guest Faculty in the Department of Fine Arts at S.N. School of Arts and Communication, Central University, Hyderabad, from 2018 to 2023.

Awdhesh lives and works between Hyderabad and Baroda.

CV

EDUCATION 

2013-2015     M.V.A. (Sculpture ) Faculty of Fine Arts, Maharaja Sayajirao University, Baroda, Gujarat

2009-2013     B.V.A. (Sculpture ) Faculty of Fine Arts, Maharaja Sayajirao University, Baroda, Gujarat

2011               Master Potter Course from R. P. T. C. Gramodaya Sangh, Bhadrawati, Khadi and Village Industries  Commission, India

AWARDS

2020                 Mukhund Sakharam Bhand State Award by Ustad Alauddin Khan Sangeet & Kala Academy, Bhopal,MP

2016                 Gold Medal for Excellence in M.V.A (Sculpture), Faculty of Fine Arts, M. S. University, Baroda, Gujarat

2015                 Solo Show Sponsorship Award by South Central Zone Cultural Centre, Nagpur.

2015                 Chinmoy Pramanik Memorial Award for Best Display in M.V.A. (Sculpture), Faculty of Fine Art, M.S. University of Baroda, Gujarat

2014                 Emerging Master Award, Sarjan art gallery, Baroda, Gujarat

2014                 third prize at Vibrant Gujarat national Education Summit at kanoria centre for art, Ahmedabad, Gujarat

WORK / ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE

2018 – 2023     Guest Faculty, Department of Fine Arts, S. N. School of Arts and Communication, University of Hyderabad,  Hyderabad, Telangana

2022                   Board of Studies – Academic & Planing for Department of Sculpture, JNA&FA University, Hyderabad, Telangana

2021                   External Jury Member End Semester Examination, Department of Sculpture, JNA&FA University, Hyderabad, Telangana

TALK AND PRESENTATION

2024                    Presentation and interaction at Dhi Contemporary, Hyderabad

2018 Presentation and Interaction at Jawaharlal Nehru Architecture and Fine Arts University, Hyderabad, Telangana

2017       Presentation and interaction at Utsha Foundation for Contemporary Art, Bhubaneswar, Odisha

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2022        Dūr-darāz, Shrine Empire, New Delhi

2021 Muted Mathaar: Supported by The Raza Foundation on the occasion of 100 years of S H Raza, held at Triveni Art Gallery, New Delhi

2015 Unfastened Association: Supported by South Central Zone Cultural Center, held at Exhibition Hall, Faculty of Fine Arts, M. S. University of Baroda, Gujarat

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2024                    Indian Art Fair 2024, represented by Shrine Empire,NSIC exhibition ground, New Delhi

2024                Indian Ceramic Triennale, Arthshila, Okhala, New Delhi

2023                    Delhi Contemporary Art Week, represented by Shrine Empire, Bikaner House, New Delhi

2023                    Indian Art Fair 2023, represented by Shrine Empire,NSIC exhibition ground, New Delhi

2022        Delhi Contemporary Art Week, represented by Shrine Empire, Bikaner House, New Delhi

2021                    Weaving Abstractions. Held at gallery 079 Stories, Ahmadabad, Gujarat

2020                    Thinking Matter. Curated by Mario D’Souza at Space Studio, Art District, Baroda, Gujarat

2020                    Asthabhuji. Curated by Annapurna M, at Gallery 78, Hyderabad, Telangana

2019                    Words of Silence. Curated by Akhilesh Verma, at Tao Art Gallery, Mumbai.

2018                    Madhyama. Curated by Akhilesh Verma, supported by The Raza Foundation at Triveni Kala Sangam, Delhi.

2018                    ID-ENTITY. Curated by  Zero Gravity Collective at  New Delhi.

2016               Emerging Palettes. Held at Shrishti Art Gallery, Hyderabad, Telangana.

2016 Hub 8: Statuettes & Trinkets. Held at Faculty of Fine Arts, M.S.University, Baroda, Gujarat.

2015                    28th National Exhibition of Contemporary Art, South Central Zone Cultural Centre, Nagpur, India

2014       Vibrant Gujarat national exhibition at Kanoria centre for art, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India

RESIDENCIES AND PROJECTS

2020                     Heads in the Cloud. An augmented Reality based mobile application. It was developed as a part of Five Million Incidents, a year-long series of events, Conceived in collaboration with Raqs Media Collective and Organized by Goethe-Institut/ Max Mueller Bhawan Delhi and Kolkata.

2018                   Size: Art and Science Dialogue, Conceived and led by Dr. Baishali Ghosh, Collaborative project between TIFR and the Department of Fine Arts, S. N. School of Arts and Communication, University of Hyderabad, Telangana

2017                  Displaced Places, residency project developed during one month stay at Utsha Foundation for                                   Contemporary Art, Bhubaneswar, Odisha

WORKSHOPS / CAMPS

2021 Drawing Camp. Organized by Bharat Bhawan to celebrate the 39th Anniversary of Bharat Bhawan,  Bhopal

2021                  Rang Mandu: Young Visual Artist Painting Camp, organized by The Raza Foundation to celebrate 100 years of the modern Indian master Sayed Haider Raza at Mandu M.P.   

2017               Sprit of Baroda, Scrap Metal Sculpture Camp organized by Vadodara Municipal Corporation, Vadodara, Gujarat

2015 National Stone Carving Camp, Organized by South Central Zone Cultural Centre, Nagpur and West Cultural Zone Udaipur at Shilpgram, Udaipur, Rajasthan

2013 Dandi Marchers’ Sculptures Workshop I, Part of The National Salt Satyagraha Memorial (NSSM) a project of the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, advised by a High-Level Dandi Memorial Committee coordinated and implemented by IIT Bombay in association with an International Design Team, at Indian Institute of Technology, Powai, Mumbai, Maharashtra. Final Sculptures are installed as a part of the National Salt Satyagraha Memorial, at  Dandi, Gujarat

2013                 Alternative Photography workshop conducted by Kate Copeland(Dean and VP of Academic Affairs at Pacific orthwest College of Art in Portland, Oregon), visiting artist at Department of Graphic Art, Faculty of Fine Arts, M.S.University, Baroda, Gujarat

2013                 Sound Art workshop, Conducted by Dr. Igal Myrtenbaum(composer, lecturer and educator) at Faculty of Fine arts, M.S.University, Baroda, Gujarat

2009 Video Art Workshop, at Department of Painting, Faculty of Fine Arts, M.S.University, Baroda, Gujarat

2009                   Pottery art of Pokhran Under do and learn program at Indra Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya, Bhopal, India