Manu Parekh

Manu Parekh, a renowned artist in India, was born in 1939 and grew up in a Gujarati household in Ahmedabad. He pursued his diploma in drawing and painting from the prestigious Sir J.J. School of Art. In his early career, Parekh explored different art forms such as theatre, where he worked as a stage designer and actor, and also served as a design consultant for the Handicraft and Handloom Export Corporation of India, allowing him to interact and work with craftspeople.

Moving to Calcutta opened up new avenues for Parekh as he drew inspiration from the works of Rabindranath Tagore and Ramkinkar Baij. Banaras, the holy city, also played a significant role in his artistic journey, and the Ghats of Banaras series is one of his notable works, which showcases the city's crowded landscapes and ever-changing skies. His paintings celebrate the dynamic relationship between man and nature, capturing their energy through vivid colors and bold brushwork. Parekh's works reflect his surroundings, displaying his vernacular language and culture, strongly influenced by his environment.

Manu Parekh's wife, Madhvi, is also an established artist with a unique style, and the husband-wife duo was invited to create artworks for the Paris Haute Couture Week as part of a collaboration between House of Dior (France) and the Chanakya School of Craft (India). The artworks were then converted into large-sized embroidered pieces and served as a backdrop for the fashion walk. The installation features 22 tapestries that were embroidered over a period of three months by over 320 master artisans.

Dior collaborated with the Asia Society India Centre to showcase the monumental textile tapestries based on the works of artist-couple Madhvi and Manu Parekh at Snowball Studios in Mumbai, which also features four original works that inspired the large panel installations.

Parekh's artistic journey began with his first solo exhibition of graphics and paintings in Ahmedabad in 1968, and he has since held numerous exhibitions, including 'Banaras – Eternity Watches Time,' presented by Saffronart and Berkeley Square Gallery, London, at Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai, in 2007. He has received several accolades for his contributions to the art world, such as the President of India's Silver Plaque and All India Fine Arts and Crafts Society Award, New Delhi, in 1972, the National Award from the Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi, in 1982, and the Padma Shree from the Government of India in 1992.
Manu Parekh currently lives and works in New Delhi. To explore more of his artworks and paintings, along with other famous serigraph artists, you can browse through our gallery of Serigraphs