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Book "Kiran's Art Renderings" inaugrated by Shri N.D. Tiwari at exhibition held at Chitramayee State Gallery of Fine Arts, Hyderabad.
     
The Artist
Beyond Strokes - My Book
Beyond Strokes - My Book
Kiran Soni Gupta

Be it wielding art or administration she has excelled with equal ease and is well versed in both. She is none other than Kiran Soni Gupta, the Divisional Commissioner of Jaipur and also an artist of international acclaim. With confluence of myriad interests today she is soul searching artist, prolific writer, an avid traveler and an activist administrator.

Her most recent successful exposition” Incredible India: Life in Color” at Ottawa inaugurated by the High Commissioner of India HE Mr SM Gavai” and Desert Symphony” at New Delhi inaugurated by the Cabinet Secretary Mr K M Chandrasekhar was most defining moment in her art journey that has given her art both depth and breadth much more than any other professional artist. Her significant contribution to Indian art for the last two and half decades has been rightly perceived as enrichment of both Indian Civil Service and Indian art. The exhibit also saw the launching of a book” Beyond Strokes” based on her artworks brought out by Times of India.

Kiran Soni Gupta has been honored with a number of prestigious awards for her contribution to the world of art. She just successfully completed the most coveted art residency at Centrum at Port Townsend in US. The most recent being the “Artist of the year-2009” She was also conferred “Achiever of the Year-2009” and ‘Kala Shiromani’ award in 2008. Her painting on ‘Famine’ depicting its impact on women and children in India was one of the greatest achievements that won her the National Award in 2003. Kiran also won honors for her artwork "Matters of Heart- 2004” in the All India Fine Arts Exhibition.

She has been featured in the coffee table book Voice of Substance and an exclusive magazine WOW (World of Women) by The Times of India group.

True to her name Kiran is spreading the rays of power packed authority and public service with beautiful strokes of art. Her success parallels both as master of art and administration. The creativity that she brings alive on her canvas is deeply related to humanity and its concerns. Kiran’s art work portrays her convictions on issues of women, children, poverty, development and environment. It is the heart-felt sensitivity, empathy, keen observation and an abounding faith in humanity that lends distinction to her art works.
 
Ever since she joined the Indian Administrative Service in 1985 her career has chartered many distinguished positions in the Government of India, Government of Rajasthan and Kerala.
 
After successfully carrying the reigns of administrative excellence in Ganganagar and Jodhpur she is currently posted in Jaipur. And here too she has proved her mantle of being an efficient administrator. She believes the feminine qualities of being emotional, sensitive and humble is the biggest strength for being a successful administrator. In her career spanning two and half decades she has carved a special place in the hearts of many through her administrative acumen and development orientation.
For her working as a professional and developmental administrator in the capacity of an IAS officer is a blessing and an opportunity to serve the humanity. She always resorts to adopting a humanitarian approach to people's problems. The varied assignments in different regions of the country inspired her to measure the success of governance and administration as enhancement in the public welfare. She has won many hearts with her empathy, generosity and special efforts especially the downtrodden, deprived segments and people working at the grass-root level particularly women. For her amidst all the laurels and applauds earned the most memorable is from an old villager who complimented her for being a rare combination of being both “good and great”.

Her encounters with the lives of people from close quarters and accompanying complex human problems and conditions has been a constant source of inspiration for art.  She says, “My revelation of sensitivity for things happening around me has been fully met with through my journey in art. It has transformed me by instilling a new found enthusiasm and perspective. I strongly believe in 'Social Entrepreneurship' for which, creativity is the driving force”.

To satiate her academic and intellectual excellence she is actively involved with National Commission for Community Development and many other social organizations and is also a member of Indian and International Sociological Association. Apart from this, she has avidly participated in various national and international training sessions and conferences on diverse subjects like disaster management, sociology, gender, health, urban improvement, sustainable development, leadership and good governance. She is a visiting faculty at Cambridge Center for Adult Education and has presented a number of research papers on various contemporary subjects in the national and international conferences. Her power play with words on various contemporary issues has been published in many national and international newspapers and journals like; The Hindu, Indian Express, The Economic Times etc. Her list of achievements includes 40 research papers and 45 published papers in leading national and international journals.

Kiran’s art work celebrated at many international art events in California, New York, Cambridge, Syracuse, Toronto, Chicago, London, Iran and Sri Lanka has quenched the art thirst of international art lovers and connoisseurs. At home Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Himachal Pradesh (Kulu), and Ludhiana have witnessed the splendour of her art expositions. She continued learning and teaching arts while being at Harvard. Her creative workshops with children were a huge success taking traditional Indian art to greater heights. Her artworks auctions in Cambridge for raising charity for children’s food and education have helped her in realizing her vision of art for social cause. She had her successful exposition “Beyond Strokes” at the International Roerich Memorial Centre, Kullu. She is a proud visiting artist at the East West Centre, Hawaii and has also won the Valparaiso Foundation Fellowship Mojacar, Spain for 2009. She also participated in the World Art Expo in US in June 2009.  
Kiran has produced a series of more than three dozen works titled the 'Harmony' reflecting various form of relationships between man and his environment. Her association with well known artists and masters has led her to some of her best etchings, wood cuts, linocuts, lithography and calligraphies. In 2003 she organized the “Kala Kumb" through community support that attracted a congregation of 150 artists from across the country.
 
‘My passion for art enables me to understand various administrative issues in their entirety and helps in applying solutions with a wholesome approach,” says Kiran. Likewise her administrative experience is well reflected in her art creations.
 
“The greatest source of inspiration and motivation is the continuous process of discovering oneself. Believing in self and realizing my hidden potential is the driving force of my life,” tells Kiran.

Artist receiving the National Award from Dr. Karan Singh.

Artist with Jatin Das, Manu and Madhavi Parekh
“ Her work demonstrates both mastery in technique and sensitivity & empathy of social issues. Has potential to promote art in big way.”
Jatin Das

“ Her depiction & presentation of Rajasthan themes is enchanting.”
Manu Parekh

“ It is a show in which the wide range of themes and styles portrays an active & searching mind with a meticulous concern for craft……. Apt evidence of her organizational abilities as much as of her devotion to art.”
Prof. Ashley Halpe, Srilanka

“ We were immediately struck by the artist’s freedom of expression as demonstrated by her many different styles and techniques. The walls were virtually covered by a synthesis of traditional Indian art and the contemporary style of a truly accomplished portrait painter. Interspersed between bright, colourful works in the Tanjore and other traditional Indian styles were many almost parched, desert scenes of Rajasthan and powerful portraits of its people.”
Daisy Campbell, Srilanka

"..........I was deeply touched with her works on the issues relating to women, poverty, environment and particularly her paintings like "Mother and Child", Hidden Me", "Secret Marriage", "Reflections", "Fire" etc. Her Tanjore paintings seeped in spirituality and mythology also leave a deep impact on the human mind. Her best etchings, woodcuts, linocuts, lithographies and oils speak volumes on her artistic sense and abilities...."
Ram V.Sutar, Sculptor

Artist with C.M. Rajasthan at her exhibition in New Delhi

pratibha
Artist with Hon'ble President of India HE Madam Pratibha Patil 2008

"........She has beautifully portrayed her experiences in the field particularly women's issues. The sensitivity and spontaneity is reflected in her ink drawings, etchings, linocuts and oil work. Achieving perfection in every technique without any formal training is certainly a creditable achievement....."
R.D.Pareek.

"........She has been sincerely devoting herself creatively acquiring the technical skills of many traditional & modern art forms. Her achievements as painter are amazing......"
Chinmaya Mehta
Chairman, Rajasthan Lalit Kala Academy
".......the grace of the artist is reflected in the traditional art which has roots in Indian culture. It looks as if all styles of traditional art forms would be recreated in future.............It also reflects her enthusiasm to achieve definite heights in her life......"
Shamendu Sonavane.

"......Her paintings cover a wide range both in terms of themes & medium. She does Paintings in Stained Glass, Tanjores, Oils, Graphics and Mixed Media. She is quite competent in figurative, abstracts, landscapes but her fort is doing popular deities which create deep spiritual feelings in the minds of viewers. Her Art has roots in the Indian soil..."
S.S.Hitkari.

“Her work has depth and feeling in it. She has an innate sense of capturing the bare beauty of environment”
Mary Hart, Cambridge

“Her art reflects her passion for life and living. She paints with amazing felicity and spontaneity”
Michael Schuster, East West Centre, Hawaii

“The vibrancy in her art captures the attention and touches the heart. Her art personifies her qualities of both head and heart.”
Mary Giehl, School of Visual Arts, Syracuse

“Kiran has effectively interwoven her world of art and administration. An underlying sensitivity and an empathetic attitude along with creativity places her in an extraordinary category of an accomplished artist and a successful administrator….”
Matilde de Fabregart

“Her work is truly beyond strokes……. Much more to unravel beyond lines and contours”
Alena Adamakova

“ I am deeply impressed by her talent……. Her contribution has enriched Indian Civil Service and Indian art eqully….
K M Chandershekhar


Artist with Sachin Tendulkar


Artist with Sachin Tendulkar

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Artist with Ex-Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekawat
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Artist with Nobel Laureate Joseph Stiglitz

 

 
 
 

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Artist with HE Governor of Rajasthan Mr S K Singh

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Artist with Indian Ambassador to Ottawa HE Mr SM Gavai at the opening of Art Exhibit Incredible India Life in Color at Ottawa 2009

  

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Artist with the Cabinet Secretary Mr KM Chandershekar during her Art Exhibit Desert Symphony at New Delhi 2008
 


Artist with Sachin Tendulkar

Kiran Soni Gupta’s Statement as an Artist

         
  I believe that man’s soul is the architect of history and that art is the manifestation of man’s soul & reflection of human identity and art materialized the deepest strata of man’s life. No art can fully express the hidden reality it is depicting and one must search beyond the lines, patterns, notes etc. Art is unbounded and recognizes no constraints. 
           
                               In modern era, art is playing a dominant role in bringing about social change transcending borders and minds. Art as such is the domain of the dialogue between civilizations and cultures; it can speak in loud and penetrating voice. Therefore, the pivot of dialogue is the society’s artists and thinkers. The language of painting and many arts is expressive indeed by which an immediate relationship is established. Artists show us new ways to see familiar things, and how to interpret new situations and events through various kinds of visual shorthand. Art is most often seen as pleasing the eye- creating beauty. Yet the idea of beauty, like that of truth, has been most challenging in the present day era. If something moves you to an understanding somehow unreachable for you by the common paths of words and reason, it's Art for you. Art is a process, a dialog, not a cause-and-effect like many people seem to think. Art is not for the sake of anything…. Rather it is not a means to achieve something but each art work in its own right depicts the image of the soul of artists and society at large.

             To pave the ground for the artist to be able to work freely and spontaneously is need of the hour. The greatest achievement of art is to extend and expand our shared common visual language. I dream my painting, and then I paint my dream. My aim is to share Indian art across the borders and to pick up and recognize the commonalities in human beings transcending barriers of religion, language, culture, food habits but sharing and experiencing the same emotions and aspirations.

For me the truth rings in words of Paul Klee, “A single day is enough to make us a little larger or, another time, a little smaller’.