S. Harshvardhan

Born in 1958 in New Delhi, S. Harshvardhan is the  son of the modern master Jagdish Swaminathan, holds a postgraduate degree in Biological Sciences from the Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, along with a diploma in Business Management, and transitioned in 1993 from a successful career in the biomedical industry to become a full-time artist. A self-taught practitioner, he is known for richly textured yet restrained canvases and works on paper that employ abstract geometric forms, often inverted triangular structures, rendered in primary colours and deeply informed by tribal art and symbolic vocabularies. His practice, which at times involves painting directly with his hands, explores tension, rhythm, and spatial harmony through layered colour and incised forms. Harshavardhana has presented numerous solo exhibitions in India and internationally and has been recognised with major honours including the Kalidas Samman, Officers of Arts et Lettres by the French Government, and the Raza Foundation Award. He lives and works in New Delhi, where his studio continues to serve as the centre of his artistic practice.