Ganapathi Agnihotri

“Individuality of an art work can be brought out only through the manifestation of an artist on the topic that has impacted him the most and those works are the actual masterpieces”

Ganapathi Agnihothri, a Bengaluru based Artist and Journalist, is known for his experimental and innovative art works that encapsulates the world filled with binaries- of truth and falsity, illusion and reality. Using the colours of his imagination, Agnihothri creates a powerful canvas that express varied faces of the possible and impossible. He constructs a visual language through the use of everyday aspects of nature. 

E d u c a t i o n

Born in an agricultural family based in Muroor village of Kumta taluk, Agnihothri pursued his high school at Pragati Vidyalaya Muroor, graduation at A.V Baliga College and later completed his Art education from Mysore. After which he started his profession as a journalist and keeps his passion alive of being an artist through varied platforms.

• Drawing Master Course (DMC)

• Diploma In Drawing & Painting (GD Art)

• Diploma In Art Master / Literature (AM)

• Diploma in Multimedia (Arena Animation)

• Master of Fine Art (MFA), Mysore University,        Karnataka- India.

J o u r n a l i s m

Apart from this, Agnihothri’s 21 years of professional life has been with major newspapers of Karnataka as a journalist taking on varied roles and writing on unrelenting topics.

• 4 Year Editorial and Reporting experience in Kannada Janantaranga, Karavali Ale Mangalore/Kumta (2002-2005)  

• 5 Year Editorial and Reporting experience in Kannada Prabha Daily,Bangaluru (2005-2010)  

• Few Months experience in Suvarna News 24x7 (2010) 

• 2 Year Editorial and Reporting in Vijayanext and Vijaya Karnataka Bangaluru. (2010-2012)

• Three and half year experience in Vijayavani (2012-2016)

• 4 Year Experience in Editorial and Reporting in Udayavani and KannadaPrabha Daily

• Presently, I am working as Freelance Artist and Freelance Journalist.

C u r a t i o n  &  D i r e c t I o n

Agnihothri’s accomplishments take a centre stage along with his art works. His experience as an art curator for “Karnataka Print Biennale” organized for the first time by Karnataka Lalithakala Academy to encourage graphic art, Art exhibition on the occasion of International  Women’s Day under the aegis of Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts, Government of India. He has worked as an art camp director for a joint art and cultural festival organized by Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan and Infosys foundation. 

Being a fellow himself, Ganapathi Agnihotri has also worked as a mentor of Graphic Art for artists who were granted fellowship by Karnataka Lalithakala Academy. For about six months the candidates were trained with etching and wood cutting.

Print medium has been his favourite since art education days and is experienced in working with varied artists from the same genre. This includes lino cut, wood cut, etching, serigraphy, lithography, calligraphy, and many more modern graphic art and has been exhibited.

S o l o  E x i b i b i t i o n

Ganapati Agnihotri has 14 solo exhibitions to his credits, which were held at major cities such as Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru, Mysore and so on.

G r o u p   E x i b i b i t i o n 

2000 to 2009: Group Millennium annual shows with Mohan Kumar and Azmi Mohammad Khan drew lot of appreciations and was eagerly awaited by art lovers.

2000: ‘Prints 2000’ Graphics Expo.

2001: ‘Focus 2001’ in Badami.

2010: ‘Sammilana’ Group Show in Bengalooru.  ( Painting exhibition of 65 well known artists of Karnataka, Conducted by Shrusti Gallery).

2012: July- Renaissance Galleries, Bengalooru.

2012: November- Third Eye Gallerie, Bengalooru.

2013: Chitra Sante and Chitra Parise, Art Fair

2013-2014: All India Show: EXPEDITION- Journey of Creative Art MYSORE, KOCHI and GOA

2017: We6 INDIA Group Show: Raja Ravi Varma Art Gallery Pune (Artist's from Karnataka, Maharastra and Delhi)

2017: 'ART TOGETHER' Group Show at Darpan Art Gallery Pune

2018: 'IM LIVE' Group Show at Chitrakala Parishath Bengalooru-2018 (Artist's from Karnataka, Maharastra and Delhi)

2018: Group Show at Anithya Art Gallery, Tumkur

2018: PAPB Group Show at Chitrakala Parishath Bengalooru-2018

2019: Group Show at IT Centre Bengalooru 

2019: 'KIMAYA', Group Show at Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath Bengalooru.

2019: 'CHOURAS', Group Show at Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai

2020: NGMA, New Delhi Virtual art show 2020 

2021: Chitrasante, Virtual art show 2020

2021: Bharatiya Kala Vichar Munch Online Camp and Group Show

2021: The Uninhibited Souls Group Show at KIAN Art Gallery, Pune

2021: UNCERTAINTY WOODCUT PRINTS GROUP SHOW at CKP

2021: Kalaniketan Mysore Presents “Navaratri Kalotsav” Online Show

2021: PRT Kalasambhrama Online Show

2021: Manikarnika Gallery Group Show 

2022: “resilience” group show, organized by Krishna Setty Foundation

2022: Karnataka Print Biennial 2021, organized by Karnataka Lalitkala Academy.

2022: “AaRu BeRu” Group show at Chitrakala Parishath, Organised by ArtBeru India Artist Forum.

2023: 63rd  National Exhibition of Art, Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi

2023: “Germination” Group show at Chitrakala Parishath, Organised by ArtBeru India Artist Forum.

2024: REAL 2024 group show, curated by Anoop Kamath at The Stainless Gallery, New Delhi.

2024: ‘Kruti‘ Group show at IIWC

Organised Param Foundation, Bengaluru 

2024: Book Brahma Literature Festival Art Exhibition

2024: Diverse Perceptions- Studio Kalavistaara annual group show at IIWC, Bengaluru

C u r a t i o n  &  D i r e c t I o n

Agnihothri’s works beautifully juxtaposes the world of his upbringing, the actual conditions of poor and the rich, inequality, differences, valueless behaviours, blind beliefs etc., Along with these humanly aspects, he dauntlessly presents the world of animals and birds, the selfishness of humans towards the wildlife and many more. These luminous aspects haunt him to create more of such art works that highlight the burning issues of the society that we live in. He believes that in the contemporary period instead of sticking on to a particular genre, an artist must inculcate newness and produce works that are absolutely novel.

P a r t i c i p a t i o n 

• Online Art Workshop 2020, NGMA, New Delhi

• Online Workshop 2020, Karnataka Lalitakala Academy

• All India Dasara Annual Exhibition, Mysore

• Karnataka Lalita Kala Academy Annual Shows

• National AIFACS Expo

• South Zone Culture Centre Nagpur Traditional painting Expo

• Camlin Annual Expo, Bengaluru 

• ABVP Annual Painting Expo, Bengaluru 

• Directorate of Field Publicity Expo

• Mysore Dasara Annual Expo

• Chitra Sante, Chitrakala Parishat, Bengaluru 

• Chitra Parise ART FAIR, Lalitakala Academy,Bengaluru

• EFAC 8th Annual Art Exhibition-2024 at Jodhpur 

C o l l e c t i o n s

• Karnataka Lalitakala Academy, Bangalore 

• Shri Kalaniketan School of Fine Art, Mysore

• Shri Ravivarma School of Art Mysore

• South Zone Culture Centre, Nagpur

• Srusti Art Gallery, Bangalore

• Priyadarshini Filaments Pvt. Ltd, Bengaluru 

• Bhimas Inn, Royal Hotel Mysore, Chennai, Colambo.

• ‘Siri’ Art Collector, Mysore

• ‘ARAMA’ Group, Bengaluru 

• Vivid kriation, Bengaluru 

• Dayal Group, Mumbai

• Indian Institute of World Culture (IIWC) Bengaluru 

A w a r d s

• Karnataka Lalita Kala Academy Annual Award for  Etching Print-2022

• Printmaking  Fellowship, Karnataka Lalita Kala Academy-2021-22

• Eastern Foundation of Art & Culture Best Graphic Award for Etching Print-2024

• All India Art Contest, Mysore Dasara - 2015

• The South Central Zone Cultural Center, Nagpur 2002 (Consolation)

• Mysore Dasara State Award – 1999, 2001, 2003, 2004

• Rastriya Pratibha puraskar – 2001

• Shree Kalaniketan School of fine art Mysore ‘Best worker’   – 1999, 2000, 2001