A prolific and pioneering artist whose work influenced the likes of Maqbool Fida Husain and Zarina Hashmi, veteran printmaker Devraj Dakoji's works draw inspiration from Indian culture, India's flora and fauna, the rock formations dotting his hometown in Andhra Pradesh, and the urbanity of his adopted home in the USA. On a trip to San Diego in 1985, the familiar call of a peacock turned into an epiphanic moment for the artist, revealing to him the intrinsic and inseparable connection of life across the world, and leading him to explore the concept of pranamu — or life force — in a series of seminal etchings and lithographs veering towards abstraction.
A graduate of Baroda's M.S. University and London’s Chelsea School of Art, Dakoji’s practice combines traditional techniques with innovative methods, shaped by international training at institutions like the Tamarind Institute at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States, and his time as a master printmaker at the Robert Blackburn Printmaking Workshop in New York. Signed, Lower Right is a megalithic survey of five decades of the artist's practice — a retrospective exhibition featuring a multitude of lithographs and etchings that chart his creative journey from Hyderabad and Baroda to London, New York, and beyond.
“Devraj Dakoji's work is a testament to the enduring power and versatility of printmaking, where technical precision meets boundless creativity. (...) This exhibition is an invitation to immerse oneself in the journey of a true master, whose art continues to inspire and resonate across generations.”Rasika Kajaria, Director, Gallery Exhibit 320, New Delhi
The exhibition is a rare opportunity to explore the evolution of Dakoji’s prolific printmaking practice spread across several continents and artistic movements, from his early experiments in Hyderabad to his time abroad. Curated under the advisory of independent art manager Amit Kumar Jain, the exhibition features a rich collection of lithographs, mezzotints, chine-colle, aqua tint, etchings, made over five decades of Dakoji's career. The exhibition reflects on the artist's dedication to his craft, his unmatched creativity, and influence in the world of printmaking.
About The Artist
Devraj Dakoji was born in Dharmaji Gudem village in West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh to a family of Ayurveda practitioners. Picking herbs for his father every morning before going to school proved to be a lasting influence in Dakoji’s life, making nature the leitmotif of his art. He joined Hyderabad’s Government College of Fine Arts and Architecture in 1959, and specialised in printmaking at M. S. University, Baroda, in the 1960s. Interaction with teachers like K. G. Subramanyan and Jyoti Bhatt at Baroda led Dakoji to a deeper understanding of art — both as a craft and a way of life. Primarily a printmaker, Dakoji’s works are inspired by Indian culture in which nature and animals predominate. He is currently based in New York.
Signed, Lower Right: Devraj Dakoji — The Making of a Master Printmaker is on view at Gallery Exhibit 320, New Delhi, till February 28, 2025. Learn more about the exhibition here.
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