Contents
Tyeb Mehta
Creating stark modern paintings of falling figures, diagonals and mythological conflict.
Koodal · Diagonal series
- Born
- 26 July 1925
- Birthplace
- Kapadvanj, India
- Died
- 2 July 2009
More people
Tyeb Mehta
Tyeb Mehta was an Indian painter whose fractured figures and fields of colour became landmarks of modern Indian art. He also worked in film and drew on experiences in Mumbai, London and New York.
Early life
Mumbai upbringing
Grew up around Crawford Market after being born in Gujarat.
Violence witnessed
Witnessed a killing during the 1947 communal violence, an experience that affected his later imagery.
Career
- 1952
Art qualification
Graduated from the Sir J. J. School of Art after earlier work in film editing.
- 1959–1964
London
Lived and worked in Britain.
- 1968
New York fellowship
Travelled to the United States on a Rockefeller fellowship.
- 1984–1985
Santiniketan residency
Worked in the university town before returning to Mumbai.
Selected work
Koodal
A short film drawing on images from a slaughterhouse.
Diagonal series
Used a forceful diagonal division to structure figures and colour.
Mahishasura
Reworked the mythological figure in his distinctive modern visual language.
Beyond work
Life across cities
Lived in London from 1959 to 1964 before returning to India.
Family
Shared his life with his wife Sakina and their two children.
Sources & photo credit
Life, career and references ↗Further source: saffronart.com ↗Photo: Cea. CC BY 2.0 · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
