Amit Kalla born 7 February 1980 in Jaipur, Rajasthan, did Masters in Art and
Aesthetics from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi & studied Art
History from the National Museum Institute specializing in ancient Indian art
(Iconography). Presently researching Bhakti Literature and the artistic
notions of Rajasthan & widely observing children response on art mediums,
while working as a freelance artist and writer.
The first collection of Amit Kalla’s poems Hone Na Hone Se Pare was awarded the
prestigious Jyanpeeth’s Young Poet Award, a national award for emerging poets.
He has since published 4 collections including Shabd Shabd Visarjan , Rit -
Anrit and One Death God all of which have been critically acclaimed.
He participated in Art Singapore, OZ Asia Festival Australia, International
writer’s meet UAE. His poems and drawings are widely published in many
contemporary Indian literary journals and magazines including Naya Gyanoday ,
Kritya , Vagarth , Ravivar , Parikatha ,Purvagraha ’ka’ Kala Vaichariki ,
Doaaba ,Samkalin Bhartiya , Kavita Kosh , Navya , Akhar Kalash . He has been
one of the assistant coordinators of the Kritya International poetry festival
Kritya since 2008 and has been deeply engaged in various art and literary
promotional programs through the Ramta Drig Collective a movement inclined
towards social change through creativity, which he initiated in 2010. Much of
the body of Kalla’s work can be represented by his commitment to experimenting
with social engagement through the arts. It is here his strength lies. Through
his deep connection to a cultural expression of a universal spirituality and
passionate sense of humanity Kalla, continuously draws people from all communities
into acts of creativity in the belief that through creativity people are
empowered and communities move incrementally closer to truth.
His poetry and paintings are spiritually intuited. While his poems create a
secretive world of words, where silence speaks his paintings are calligraphic
and draw on the same silent unknowing of invented texts. His paintings
represent moments on the continuum; a slice snatched from his deeper hidden
journey.
The strength of Kalla’s work is that it represents an Indian artist’s quest for
an indigenous tenor rather than a superficial inventory of native motifs, there
is nothing about his work which relies on a static Indian Identity. In the
context of the New India with its glamour and explosive economics, he is searching
for a new representation of the innermost dramas of his culture while
maintaining universality and individuality. There is a certain naivety in both
his painting and writing which represents detachment but contains too a knowing
gesture of assurance.
-Daniel Connell, Artist/Writer, Live & Works Australia
Biodata
Amit Kalla
Born February 07, 1980, Jaipur, Rajasthan, INDIA, Lives & works
Jaipur.
EDUCATION
2005 Masters in Arts & Aesthetics, J.N.U, New Delhi
2003 Studied Art History, N.M.I, New Delhi
AWARDS & HONOURS
2007 Bhartiya Jnanpith Navlekhan Puraskar for Poetry Collection (Hone Na Hone
Se Pare) 2007 Satya Shanti Samman
2007 Maru Parampara Puraskar
2011 Prakriti Samman, Jamshedpur
2013 Srajan Samman, International Art & Poetry festival, Dubai
SOLO SHOWS
2013 OMAG, Bhubnaeshwar, Orissa
2012 Govt.Art Center, Trivandrum, Kerala
2010 National Youth Conclave,Darbangha, Bihar
2010 J.K K. Jaipur
2008 Canvas Art Gallery, New Delhi
2008 Sudarshan Art Gallery, Bikaner
2007 Nehru center, Mumbai
2007 J.K.K, Jaipur
2006 Art Academy, Bangalore
2005 SAA Art gallery, J.N.U, New Delhi.
2005 TERI, IHC, New Delhi.
GROUP SHOWS
2013 International Poetry Festival Kritya , MGAHVW, Vardha
2013 Art For Uttrakhand, Lalit Kala Academy, New Delhi
2013 International Art Festival, Mumbai-13, at Coomarswami Museum
2013 International Art Festival, Mumbai-13 Aks Art Gallery & PL Deshpande
Gallery, Mumbai
2013 Painting & Poetry Poster, Fahya, Sarjah, UAE
2012 Painting & Poetry Poster,, Dushyant Kumar Museum, Bhopal
2012 REFLECT BACK, Jalap Mohalla, Jodhpur
2012 REFLECT, Art Space Gallery, Adelaide, Australia
2012 International Mask Exhibition, New Delhi, Bhopal & Italy
2012 A Music of Moods, AIFACS, New Delhi
2012 Artistic Extensions, AKS art Gallery, Andhari, Mumbai
2011 Rajasthan Kabir Yatra, Bikaner
2010 Nostalgia, Shankar Deo Kalakshetra, Assam
2010 NCZCC, Allahabad
2010 Punjab Art Council Chandigarh
2009 Lines from, JKK, Jaipur
2009 Wandering Seer, JKK, Jaipur
2009 SPPACE, Conclave on Excellence
2009 Drizzles of colours , Tilting art gallery, Ishania Malla, Pune
2009 National Contemporary Artist Camp NCZCC, Chittrakut
2009 Abhivyakti , LKK Lucknow
2008 Gen Next 3, Aakriti Art Gallery, Kolkata
2008 Hyatt Residency, New Delhi
2008 Aspirationa Studio Vasant ,New Delhi
2008 What Creates Life, Art Hub, Vadodara
2008 Russian Center, New Delhi.
2007 Athens Art Gallery, Greece
2007 Nithari – the aftermath, Canvas Art, New Delhi
2007 Ananya III, N.I.T Art gallery, Nagpur.
2007 Seven Strokes, Academy of Fine Arts & Literature, New Delhi.
2006 Different lines, drawing show, LALIT KALA academy, New Delhi.
2006 All India Artist Exhibition, Allahabad.
2006 Studio Vasant, New Delhi
2006 Mocha, Art & Soul, New Delhi
2006 All India Artist Exhibition, Amritsar
2004 Heart & Soul Gallery, New Delhi
2004 Kala Mela, J.K.K, Jaipur
2003 Fusion 22-Abhinav Art gallery, Jammu
2003 Ankan- J.K.K, Jaipur
CAMP & WORKSHOPS
2013 Poetry on Canvas, Shahitya Academy, New Delhi
2012 10 Years of Ka, New Delhi
2011 All India Spring Art Camp, Jamshedpur
2011 All India Spring Art Camp, Ranchi
2009 All India Art Camp Schindia School, Gwalior
2009 National Art Camp, Kala Rang Kala Sang, Gwalior
2009 Drashya Paar, Navchaukia, Jodhpur
2009 All India Spring Art Camp, Dhanbad
2009 KA Art Camp, IKVV, Khairagarh
2007 Young Artist Camp, Bhimtal, Roy Foundation, New Delhi.
2006 All India Painters Camp residency Allahabad University.
2005 All India Painters Camp, Mangali Gaon, Nagpur.
2005 All India Painters Camp Organized by JAKFAS with ’KA’ an art magazine at
J&K cultural academy.
POETRY READINGS
2013 World Poetry Movement Reading
2013 Parallel Reality, Devlalikar Art Gallery, Indore
2013 Abhivyakti Hindi, Fahya, Sarjah, UAE
2012 Rajasthan Hindi Granth Academy, Jaipur
2012 OZ Asia Festival, Adelaide, Australia
2012 Early Morning Poetry, Shermandal, Purana Quila, New Delhi
2012 Kritya International Poetry Festival, Trivandrum
2012 World Poetry Movement Reading
2011 Bengali Education Society, Dhantauli, Nagpur
2011 National Young Poet Meet, Sahitya Academy, Jodhpur
2011 SAMMF, Dala, Sonbhadra
2011 Shabd Rang Nirbandh, Ramta Drig, Jodhpur
2011 Kritya International Poetry Festival, Nagpur
2010 Spice & Words, Kaladi, Kerala
2009 India Habitat Center, New Delhi
2009 National Art Camp, Gwalior
2009 Kritya International Poetry Festival, Mysore
2008 Kritya International Poetry Festival, Chandigarh
2008 Reading org by Ka, JKK, Jaipur
2005 SAA Auditorium, JNU, New Delhi
COLLECTIONS
Lokmat Times, Nagpur, Contemporary Vibes, Chandigarh ; Bhartiya Jyanapith, New
Delhi ; Teri, IHC, New Delhi ; Shaitya Academy New Delhi , India ; Athens art,
Greece ; Princes Lutsyana, Italy ; Swan gallery & design Florida, U.S.A ;
Bruticin Istanbul ; Apollo Hospital New Delhi, Hutch India Pvt. Ltd ; Taj group
of hotels ; City bank , ABN AMRO, Foundation For Ecological Security, Bhilwara,
Maru Parampara, Bikaner, Art Hub, Vadodra, Salvador Gems, Istanbul, Sahitya
Academy, New Delhi, Karma Art Gallery, Ahmadabad, Rainbow Art Gallery, New
Delhi, Gallery Art Resource Trust, Mumbai, Kritya Trust, Trivandrum, Center For
Adult Education, Jaipur,
PUBLICATIONS
2007 “Hone Na Hone Se Pare (Hindi/Poetry) Bhartiya Jnanpith, New Delhi
2010 “Shabd Shabd Visarjan” (Hindi/Poetry) Publication, New Delhi
Drawings Painting and poetry Published extensively in National and
International Magazines
WORGSHOPS & TRAININGS
• Art Therapy workshop, NMI, New Delhi
• Prakruti Mela workshops in different villages of, Bhilwara,Udaipur and
Pratapgarh Districts
• Attended a workshop on Natural Colors, organized by artist Siddhartha
• State Level Drama and Theater in Education Workshop, Azim Premji Institute,
Jaipur
• Six Days Follow up workshop of Drama and Theater in Education Workshop, Azim
Premji Institute, Jaipur
OTHER ACTIVITIES
• Creative Advisor (Ka) , Navya and Contemporary vibes art magazine,
• Art coordinator Rajasthan Kabir Yatra ( LOKAYAN ) Bikaner
• Assistant coordinator for International poetry festival, Kritya
• Associated with Abhivyakti Creative Group, UAE
• Songs & Script Writing for many short films and documentary
• Knowledge of Cartoon making, clay molding, paper mashie and Installation Art
• Attached with Unaupcharika Magazine
• Sub Editor Killol , a book exploring creative aspect of children
• Organized Bal mella’s for children, with the support of SPPACE
• Skilled in making Natural colors
• Extensive background in working with students of all ages.
• Worked for Exhibition titled Ahsaas ek Prayas with Blind Children, NMI, New
Delhi
• Experience in organizing Community Art activities.
• Running an organization named Ramta Drig for the social change through
different creative forms.
About Ramta Drig
The Ramta Drig concept was formed by poet and visual artist, Amit Kalla, in
2008 while he and fellow artist and friend Daniel Connell travelled on long
train journey across northern India towards Calcutta. Based on the
notion of the Wandering Seer, a philosophical treatise on the continuous line
of seeing and being seen, observance and perception that links all beings,
Ramta Drig has become a collective of artists representing all genres
interested in broadening and engaging a new audience for the
Creativity is at the heart of the Ramta Drig philosophy. In the context of
India where gaping extremes exist between communities and individuals, Ramta
Drig attempts to create opportunities for crossing boundaries. ‘Creativity is
our last hope’ spoke a young woman of Ramta Drig during a recent workshop which
brought children from the wealthiest and the poorest communities of a small
city together to create music, visual arts and view animated films. ‘Creativity
has the potential to provide a spiritual framework like an alternative to
religion, support those who need it and challenge the inequalities and
injustices that diminish humanity.’
Ramta drig is not aligned with any religious, social or political movement. It
is non hierarchical and non profit. It is a fluid but a rigorously supportive
and active group of dedicated artists interested in transforming society gently
and intelligently from the inside out.
