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New in the City

Rajesh Naidu is an artist and educator, who has exhibited in multiple juried, group and solo shows. He is currently serving as a faculty in the School of Arts and Sciences at Ahmedabad University, where he teaches courses in visual arts that focus on drawing and painting, and in the history of the visual arts.

Rajesh's passion for art began in his early years, influenced by the worlds of motion pictures and comics, which instilled in him a strong narrative approach to painting. While his early work was shaped by the influence of iconic artists such as Vincent van Gogh, Bikash Bhattacharjee, and Pablo Picasso, his artistic voice gradually evolved into something deeply personal. His style, while often not strictly representational, draws inspiration from the storytelling techniques found in the works of artists like Andrew Wyeth, Eric Fischl, and Edward Hopper. The practice of drawing from life, influenced by the works of Alice Neel and Lucian Freud, remains a central tenet of Rajesh’s creative process and his connection to the world around him.

Rajesh employs a variety of traditional mediums, including oil paint, acrylics, gouache, and watercolors. His art often reflects his observations of people, places, and everyday objects, though it does not adhere to a singular theme. Instead, it serves as a window into his enduring curiosity and his ongoing quest to answer the age-old question: "What is art?"

As a Visiting Faculty of Art at the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (Indiana, USA), Rajesh Naidu conducted Painting, Art History, and Art Appreciation courses. He was also the Artist-in-Residence at the Institute. He received a Master of Fine Arts in Studio Arts/Painting from Indiana State University, during which he was an Instructor for drawing courses. He initially earned a Bachelor of Engineering in Civil Engineering from Savitribai Phule Pune University and worked in the construction industry before fully immersing himself in the world of art.

New in the City, Oil on Canvas, 16" x 24"

Curriculum Vitae

JURIED EXHIBITIONS / SHOWS​

  • In-Between, March 2024, Urmila Art Gallery, Kanoria Centre for Arts, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India

  • View/Mirror, October 2023, Turman Gallery, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, Indiana, USA

  • Reflection (Solo Show), February 2020, Gaslight Art Colony, Marshall, Illinois, USA

  • Artists Café Salon Exhibition, December 2019, Education Center (Swope Art Museum), Terre Haute, Indiana, USA

  • Get Out! Paint Out! Plein Air Event/Exhibition, September 2019, McKendree University Gallery of Art, Lebanon, Illinois, USA

  • Rose-Hulman Fall Art Exhibit, August 2019, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, Terre Haute, Indiana, USA

  • 75th Annual Wabash Valley Exhibition, September 2019, Swope Art Museum, Terre Haute, Indiana, USA

  • Nude, December 2018, Swope Art Museum, Terre Haute, Indiana, USA

  • MFA Graduate Show, November 2018, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, Indiana, USA

  • 74th Annual Wabash Valley Exhibition, September 2018, Swope Art Museum, Terre Haute, Indiana, USA

  • The Road Show 2018, August 2018, Arts Illiana Gallery, Terre Haute, Indiana, USA

  • Student Juried Show 2018, February 2018, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, Indiana, USA

  • Small Art 2017, November 2017, Arts Illiana Gallery, Terre Haute, Indiana, USA

  • 73rd Annual Wabash Valley Exhibition, September 2017, Swope Art Museum, Terre Haute, Indiana, USA

  • Self Portrait: The Original Selfie, May 2017, Arts Illiana Gallery, Terre Haute, Indiana, USA

  • Student Juried Show 2017, February 2017, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, Indiana, USA

  • Student Juried Show 2016, March 2016, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, Indiana, USA

  • Art Beat, June 2014, Trois, Pune, India


AWARDS / GRANTS / SCHOLARSHIPS

  • People’s Choice Award, October 2019, Get Out! Paint Out!, McKendree University Gallery of Art

  • 3rd Prize, October 2019, Get Out! Paint Out!, McKendree University Gallery of Art

  • Eileen Prose Award of Recognition, September 2018, 74th Annual Wabash Valley Exhibition, Swope Art Museum

  • Joan and David Zaun Award of Recognition, September 2017, 73rd Annual Wabash Valley Exhibition, Swope Art Museum

  • Elmer J. Porter Scholarship, Spring 2017, Indiana State University

  • Provost’s Merit Award, February 2017, Student Juried Show 2017, Indiana State University


COLLECTIONS

  • Swope Art Museum, Terre Haute, Indiana, USA

  • Eugene V. Debs Museum, Terre Haute, Indiana, USA

  • Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, Terre Haute, Indiana, USA


PUBLICATIONS / MEDIA / PUBLIC TALK

© 2024 Art Rajesh Naidu

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