Ashish Kushwaha (b.1987, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh) completed his BFA in Painting at Indira Kala Sangit Vishwavidyalaya, Khairagarh, 2009. His works have been exhibited in solo shows at ICONART Gallery, Hyderabad, 2014; India International Centre, New Delhi, 2017 and Bharat Bhavan, Bhopal, 2017. And in Group Shows at Remorse, Gallery 31927_2, Toronto, 2021; Indian Artist Network, Indonesia, 2008; Indian Artist Network, Jakarta, 2010; Dhoomimal Gallery, New Delhi, 2010; India Art Fair, New Delhi, 2010; Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi, 2011; Art Basel, New York, 2015, International Art Expo, Bari, Italy, 2015; Indian Contemporary, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, 2017; Busan International Art Fair, Korea, 2017; Hungarian Cultural Institute, Delhi, 2017; Kalakriti Art Gallery, Hyderabad, 2019; Art Houz, Chennai, 2019; Affordable Art Fair, Singapore, 2019; Tao Art Gallery, Mumbai, 2020, Bikaner House, New Delhi, 2021 and Hutheesing Centre, Ahmedabad, 2021.
He has been awarded at the Ministry of Culture Delhi, 2009; Karnataka Lalithakala Akademi, 2017; AIFACS Gallery, 2017 and Junior Fellowship, Ministry of Culture, New Delhi, 2017.
He has been an artist-in-residence at the Ekaant Artist Residency, Mount Shadow, Bhavnagar, 2018 and Kalakriti Residency, Hyderabad, 2019.
Ashish, through his paintings, explores daily-life narratives with a distinct surrealist perspective, meticulously composing elements that converge from his conscious, subconscious, and imagination. Captivated by the urban landscapes, concrete jungles, dilapidated structures, rising pillars, and rapidly evolving surroundings, his works emphasise the social and environmental aspects of city life without resorting to crude depictions. Drawing from his personal experiences as a rural migrant and city dweller, his works project the not-so-distant future, highlighting rural exodus, urbanisation, and the consequences of crowding and dislocation. Fascinated by the urban culture’s power and vitality, his works also delve into historical insights of unequal development and technological growth impacts.
