Chintan Upadhyay
Indian artist (born 1972)
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Chintan Upadhyay (born 1972) is a contemporary Indian visual artist known for his multidisciplinary practice across painting, sculpture, installation, and socially engaged art. His work frequently explores identity politics, consumer culture, and reproductive technology. He is particularly recognised for his "Designer Baby" series-sculptural forms that reflect on commodification and gender dynamics—which have been widely exhibited and featured in Sotheby's South Asian art auctions, including a 2007 sale in New York.[1][2]
Chintan Upadhyay | |
|---|---|
चिंतन उपाध्याय | |
| Born | 18 August 1972 Partapur, Rajasthan, India |
| Education | Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda (BFA, MFA) |
| Occupation | Visual artist |
| Known for | Painter, artist, sculptor |
| Spouse | Hema Hirani (m. 1998–2014; divorce) |
In 2002, Upadhyay co-founded Sandarbh, a non-profit Contemporary Arts initiative based in Partapur ( a small Village), Rajasthan, designed to bring contemporary art practices intopublic and marginalized spaces. Sandarbh has been recognized in curatorial literature for its role in expanding the scope of site-specific and socially engaged art in India.[3]
In October 2023, a Mumbai sessions court convicted him for criminal conspiracy and abetment in the murder of his estranged wife, Hema Upadhyay. He was acquitted in the related death of her lawyer, Harish Bhambhani, after the court found no direct evidence linking him to that killing and concluded Bhambhani was "in the wrong place at the wrong time."[4] The Supreme Court of India later suspended his sentence and granted bail in September 2024, noting that the case was based solely on circumstantial evidence and there was no allegation of direct involvement in the act.
He began his art career as a painter, but later created sculptures and installations.[5] His best known sculpture project is perhaps the Pet Shop project, which is an ongoing production of a "model baby" for every season, Baby Fetish.[6][7][8]
He was awarded the Charles Wallace Foundation Award for Residency in Bristol, UK in 2012.[9][10][11]
Early life
Chintan was born on 18 August 1972, in Partapur in Rajasthan, India.[12] He received a BFA degree in 1995, and a MFA degree in 1997, both degrees in painting are from the Faculty of Fine Arts from Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda in Vadodara, in Gujarat, India.[5]
He met artist Hema Hirani in 1992, and the couple married in 1998.[6] They settled in Mumbai, and worked together in many art exhibitions.[6] In 2010, they started the process of divorce, which was finalized in 2014.[6]
Legal Proceedings
In December 2015, Upadhyay was accused and arrested in connection with the double murder of his estranged wife Hema Upadhyay and her lawyer Haresh Bhambhani.[13] Their bodies were found in khakhi-coloured cardboard boxes floating in a nullah. He was twice denied bail.[14] In October 2023, he was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison by a Dindoshi court.[6][15][16] The Supreme Court of India later suspended his sentence and granted bail in September 2024, noting that the case was based solely on circumstantial evidence and there was no allegation of direct involvement in the act.
Solo shows
Following is the list of his solo shows:[17][18]
- 2010 'Nature God', Sakshi Gallery, Taipei [citation needed]
- 2009–10 'Mistake', Inda Gallery, Budapest [citation needed]
- 2009 'Khatti Mithi', Project at Sakshi Gallery, Mumbai [citation needed]
- 2009 'Iconic Shrine', Jawahar Kala Kendra, Jaipur in collaboration with Roundabout and Gallery Soulflower, Bangkok [citation needed]
- 2008 'Mistake', Aicon Gallery, London [citation needed] [citation needed]
- 2008 'Pet Shop', Ashish Balram Nagpal Galleries, Mumbai [citation needed]
- 2008 'New Indians', Galerie Natalie Seroussi, Paris [citation needed]
- 2008 'Metastasis of Signs – A Walk in the Realm of Manipulated Realities', Gallery Espace, New Delhi[citation needed]
- 2007 'Tentuaa Dabaa Do (Kill Her)', Jawahar Kala Kendra, Jaipur, Rajasthan[citation needed]
- 2006 'I Want To Be An International Artist', Solo Performance, Seoul Art Centre, Korea[citation needed]
- 2006 'Clone Vitthala', Sculptures at Ashish Balram Nagpal Gallery, Mumbai[citation needed]
- 2006 'Maya', Paintings at Ashish Balram Nagpal Gallery, Mumbai[citation needed]
- 2005 'Baar Baar, Har Baar, Kitni Baar?', Installation and Interactive Performance, Sarjan Art Gallery, Vadodara[citation needed]
- 2004 'Conker's', Installation Project, Spike Island, Bristol, UK[citation needed]
- 2004 'Designer Babies', Ashish Balram Nagpal Gallery, Mumbai[citation needed]
- 2003 'New Breed / Hybrid', Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai[citation needed]
- 2002 'Commemorative Stamps', Ashish Balram Nagpal Gallery, Mumbai[citation needed]
- 2002 'Commemorative Stamps', Jawahar Kala Kendra, Jaipur[citation needed]
- 2002 'Floating thoughts', Interactive site-specific installation, Brisbane, Australia[citation needed]
- 1999 'So What', The Fine Art Company, Mumbai[citation needed]
- 1998 'This has been done before', Shahjehan Art Gallery, New Delhi[citation needed]
- 1996 'Desirable Objects', Leela Kempenski Art Gallery, Mumbai[citation needed]
Group shows
- 2012 '2 + 2 = 5', The Palette Art Gallery, New Delhi [citation needed]
- 2012 'Looking Back, Looking Forward', Sakshi Gallery, Mumbai [citation needed]
- 2012 'Mapmakers: The Evolution of Contemporary Indian Art', Aicon Gallery, New York [citation needed]
- 2012 'Contemporary: A Selection of Modern and Contemporary Art', presented by Sakshi Gallery at The Park, Chennai [citation needed]
- 2012 'Sightings', Sakshi Gallery, Mumbai [citation needed]
- 2011 'Adbhutam: Rasa in Indian Art', Centre of International Modern Art (CIMA), Kolkata [citation needed]
- 2011 'Skin Deep: The Art of Fibreglass', The Viewing Room, Mumbai[citation needed]
- 2011 'Between Seasons', Gallery Beyond, Mumbai[citation needed]
- 2011 'Love is a 4 Letter Word', Latitude 28, New Delhi[citation needed]
- 2011 'Fabular Bodies: New Narratives in the Art of the Miniature', presented by Harmony Art Foundation at Coomaraswamy Hall, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharah Vastu Sangrahalaya, Mumbai[citation needed]
- 2011 'Anecdotes', Sakshi Gallery, Mumbai[citation needed]
- 2011 'High-Light', presented by Sakshi Gallery, Mumbai at The Oberoi, Gurgaon[citation needed]
- 2011 'Dolls', Gallery Sumukha, Bangalore[citation needed]
- 2011 'Tech-Cut-Edge-Revelations', Ashna Gallery, New Delhi[citation needed]
- 2010 'Changing Skin', presented by The Fine Art Company at Coomaraswamy Hall, Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalay, Mumbai[citation needed]
- 2010 'A. SYCO', The Viewing Room, Mumbai[citation needed]
- 2009 'Home Sweet Home', Religare Arts. i Gallery, New Delhi[citation needed]
- 2009 'Indian Summer', Galerie Christian Hosp, Berlin[citation needed]
- 2009 'Inaugural Show', Sakshi Gallery, Taipei[citation needed]
- 2008–09 'Signs Taken for Wonders: Recent Art from India and Pakistan', Aicon Gallery, London[citation needed]
- 2008–09 'Hot Shots', The Viewing Room, Mumbai[citation needed]
- 2008 'Uncovered', Sans Tache Art Gallery, Mumbai[citation needed]
- 2008 'Keep Drawing', Gallery Espace, New Delhi[citation needed]
- 2008 'The Ethics of Encounter', Gallery Soulflower, Bangkok[citation needed]
- 2008 'Indiavata', Gallery Sun Contemporary, Korea[citation needed]
- 2008 'Link', Sakshi Art Gallery, Mumbai[citation needed]
- 2008 'Freedom 2008 : Sixty Years After Indian Independence', Centre for International Modern Art (CIMA), Kolkata[citation needed]
- 2007 'Telling It Like It Is: The Indian Story', The Gallery in Cork Street, London[citation needed]
- 2007 'Here and Now: Contemporary Voices from India', Grosvenor Gallery, London[citation needed]
- 2007 'Young Guns', Institute of Contemporary Indian Art (ICIA), Mumbai[citation needed]
- 2007 'Keep Drawing', Pundole Art Gallery, Mumbai[citation needed]
- 2006 'Bombay Maximum City', Lille 3000, Lille, France[citation needed]
- 2005 -06 'Kaam', Arts India Gallery, New York and Palo Alto, USA[citation needed]
- 2005 'Annual Exhibition', Sakshi Art Gallery, Mumbai[citation needed]
- 2005 'Indian Contemporary Art', Preview TATE Britain[citation needed]
- 2005 'Configuration', Anant Art Gallery, New Delhi[citation needed]
- 2005 'Ways Of Seeing', Gallery Art Alive, New Delhi[citation needed]
- 2005 'Papereshi', Sarjan Art Gallery, Vadodara[citation needed]
- 2005 'Present-Future', National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), Mumbai[citation needed]
- 2005 'Indian Contemporary Art', Chelsea College of Art, London[citation needed]
- 2005 'Are We Like This Only?', Rabindra Bhavan, Vadhera Art Gallery, New Delhi[citation needed]
- 2004 'Bombay Boys', Palette Art Gallery, New Delhi[citation needed]
- 2004 'Charles Wallace Foundation Awards', British Council, New Delhi[citation needed]
- 2004 'Concepts and Ideas', Centre for International Modern art (CIMA), Kolkata[citation needed]
- 2004 Gallery 27, Oslo, Norway[citation needed]
- 2004 – 03 'Portraits of a Decade', Centre for International Modern art (CIMA), Kolkata and Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai[citation needed]
- 2004 – 03 'Dots and Pixels', Digital media, Sumukha Art Gallery, Bangalore and Gallery Espace, New Delhi[citation needed]
- 2004 'Bombay 17', Kashi Art Gallery, Kochi[citation needed]
- 2003 'Parthenogenesis', Ivan Dougherty Gallery, Sydney, Australia[citation needed]
- 2003 'Corresponding Latitudes', A Cross Cultural Collaborative Exhibition of Indian and Australian artists, Jawahar Kala Kendra – Jaipur[citation needed]
- 2002 ' Brahma to Bapu', Icons and Symbols in Indian art, Habitat centre, New Delhi, India and Centre for International Modern art (CIMA), Kolkata[citation needed]
- 2002 'Quotable Stencil', Tao Art Gallery, Mumbai[citation needed]
- 2001 ' Annual show', Gallery Wren, Sydney, Australia[citation needed]
- 2000 'Sic.', an Audio-visual Installation, The Fine Art Company, Mumbai[citation needed]
- 1999 'Mumbai Metaphor' Tao Art Gallery, Mumbai[citation needed]
- 1999 'Wall Paper', Lakeeren Art Gallery, Mumbai[citation needed]
- 1997 'Class of 1997', Lakeeren Art Gallery, Mumbai[citation needed]
- 1997 '50 yr. of Indian Independence', All India Fine Arts and Crafts Society, Delhi and Ravi Shankar Rawal Bhavan, Ahmedabad – Gujarat[citation needed]
Joint shows
- 2005 'You Have to Decide' an Interactive Installation and Performance Center for Art and Culture, Chiksarda, Transylvania, Romania[citation needed]
- 2005 'I'm a Slut', a collaborative video and performance with Amit Kekre, Gallery Beyond, Mumbai[citation needed]
- 2004 'Made in China', collaborative installation with Hema Upadhyay, Viart Gallery, New Delhi[citation needed]
- 2003 'Made in China', collaborative Installation with Hema Upadhyay, Gallery Chemould, Mumbai[19]
- 2003 'Post Card', project with Hema Upadhyay, part of 'Parthenogenesis', Ivan Dougherty Gallery, Sydney[citation needed]
- 2000 Objects of Desire, collaboration with Hema Upadhyay, 'Art and Technology', Ideas and Images II, National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), Mumbai[citation needed]
- 1995 'Circa Early Seventies', Faculty of Fine Arts, Maharaja Sayajirao University, Vadodara[citation needed]
- 1994 'Discount 33%', Faculty of Fine Arts, Maharaja Sayajirao University, Vadodara[citation needed]
Honours and awards
- 2004–05 Charles Wallace Foundation Award for a residency in Bristol, UK[9][10]
- 2000–01 Gadi scholarship, NLKA, New Delhi[citation needed]
- 1998 Lalit Kala Academy for Outstanding Drawing in a drawing exhibition[citation needed]
- 1997 All India Avantika art exhibition, New Delhi[citation needed]
- 1996 Lalit Kala Academy for Outstanding Painting in the annual exhibition S.C.Z.C.C. for Outstanding Painting in the annual exhibition, Nagpur, Maharashtra[citation needed]
- 1995–97 Lalit Kala Academy for Outstanding Painting in the annual exhibition[citation needed]