Prayag Jha Chillar also known as Prayag Jha is a contemporary Indian artist, specialized in etching. Her works are kept as collections in all over India, including the National Gallery of Modern Art in the capital; Delhi. Jha's work was showcased in solo exhibitions from 1971 to 2012 across Jehangir Art Gallery, Taj Art Gallery, Bajaj Art Gallery and Art Heritage New Delhi. Her work depicts scenes from the ancient Indian epic ''Meghdoot'' ("''The Messenger Clouds''") and is inspired by natural forms such as grass and leaves. Jha's earlier works were primarily monochrome, but have evolved to include strong colors. Jha won an international award at the 7th Triennial for her etching titled ''Bachelor's House''. Other honors were State Level Awards and National Award given to her by the President of India.

Early life

Prayag was born in Agra, Uttar Pradesh on March 15, 1945. In 1971, she completed National Diploma in Fine Arts (Paintings) from the

College of Art An art school is an educational institution with a primary focus on the visual arts, including fine art – especially illustration, painting, photography, sculpture, and graphic design. Art schools can offer elementary, secondary, post-second ...

in New Delhi. She also completed a Post Diploma in graphic art in 1973 from the MS University of Baroda Faculty of Fine Arts. She was selected for a three-year senior fellowship from the Ministry of Human Resources and Development of India for the etching project on Kalidas Meghdoot from 1995 to 1997. Jha married sculptor JK Chillar on July 1971, in New Delhi.

Work

From the year 1973 to 1975, Jha worked as a freelance artist in Bombay and made many pen drawings and etchings. Exhibitions of Jha's artworks are frequently held at the Art Heritage Gallery, National Gallery of Modern Art and other galleries. Some of her notable works include ''Crows'', ''The Bachelor's House'', ''House without the Woman'', ''In Front of the House'', the ''Flight'' series, ''Scattered Life'' and ''Alone''. Crows appear in many of her works as a symbol of loneliness and desolation. In 2007, eighty zinc plates with etchings of ''Meghdoot'' were stolen from her house by scrap metal thieves. The plates were never recovered.

Recognition

* Vijoo Sadwelkar Award, 2003 * Excellence Award in 2003 from Jehangir Art Gallery * International Gold Medal Award in the 7th Triennale India (World Exhibition of Art with over 80 participating countries) making her the first Indian to ever receive this award in Graphic Arts, arranged by Lalit Kala Akademi New Delhi, 1991. * Maharashtra Gaurav Puraskar from the Government of Maharashtra in December 1990 at Mumbai. * National Award from the National Academy of Art arranged by Lalit Kala Akademi New Delhi, 1985 * 3 honours in Graphic Art from the Art Society of India, Bombay in 1976, 1978, 1988. * Second prize in Members Art Exhibition, held at Artist Center Bombay, 1976. * The only Art Critic Award in India, from Artist's Center of Bombay, 1974. * Three consecutive first prize honors in the Graphic Arts Annual Exhibition, held at Gujarat State Lalit Kala Akademi, Gandhi Nagar during 1971 to 1973.

Collections

Lalit Kala Academy The Lalit Kala Akademi or National Academy of Art (LKA) is India's national academy of fine arts. It is an autonomous organisation, established in New Delhi in 1954 by Government of India to promote and propagate understanding of Indian art, ...

, New Delhi * National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi & National Gallery of Modern Art, Mumbai * Gujarat State Lalit Kala Academy, Gandhi Nagar * UP State Lalit Kala Academy, Lucknow * Academy of Fine Arts, Calcutta * Sate Lalit Kala Academy, Hyderabad * Chandigarh Museum * College of Art, New Delhi * Faculty of Fine Arts, Baroda *

Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi The Ministry of External Affairs (abbreviated as MEA; hi, विदेश मंत्रालय, Videśa Mantrālaya, translit-std=ISO) of India is the government agency responsible for implementing Indian foreign policy. The Ministry of Ex ...

* Late Governor of Delhi Sri L J Jha * Ex Sheriff of Bombay, S H Daya

Art Jury

* Jury member on the National Art Exhibition arranged by National Lalit Kala Academy New Delhi (1992) * Member of jury for All India Exhibition of Art arranged by UP State Lalit Kala Academy at Lucknow (1995) * Member of Jury for All India Exhibition of Art, Bombay Art Society (1994) * Member of jury for Maharashtra State Exhibition, Mumbai (1996) * Member of jury for All India Exhibition arranged by NZCC, at Nagpur (1996)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jha, Prayag 1945 births Living people Indian engravers 20th-century Indian painters People from Agra Indian women painters Painters from Uttar Pradesh Women artists from Uttar Pradesh 20th-century Indian women artists 21st-century Indian women artists Women etchers Women engravers Etchers 20th-century engravers