Amit Ambalal is a self-taught painter from a prominent industrialist family in Ahmedabad. He was a businessman before turning to painting full-time in 1979.
Mingling reality and mythology, with affectionate and irreverent humor, puns, caricature and satire, Ambalal’s paintings are populated by a multiplicity of characters; life-like gods and god-like men, gurus, yogis, paan eaters and close friends, as well as cows, crows and crocodiles. His keen wit and insight, often drawing from abundant sources of Indian traditional art, miniature painting, folk and tribal art, posters, as well as cosmological and astrological diagrams, enlightens and animates the rich surfaces of his oil and gouache paintings.
Amit Ambalal has a particular interest in the Nathdawara school of painting, having published “Krishna as Sri Nathji, Rajasthani Paintings” from Nathdwara in 1987. His paintings have been exhibited widely within India and abroad, and in the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Modern Art, Delhi, Lalit Kala Akademi, Delhi, The British Musuem, London and the Victoria and Albert Museum, London. He is represented by Gallery Espace, New Delhi. A catalog of his work with an essay by Gayatri Sinha was published by Gallery Espace in 2008.
Index of Images
Amit Ambalal images in order of appearance, unless otherwise mentioned, courtesy Gallery Espace, New Delhi
The Fish Pond, oil on canvas, 60.5 x 78” 2008
Man Drinks Milk, gouache on paper, 14.5 x 20.5” 2000
Jacuzzi in Jurassic Park, oil on canvas, 60 x 78” 2008
The Holy Book, gouache on paper, 29.5 x 20.5 2000
His Holyness, oil on canvas
Charnamrit, oil on board 1986
The Guru, acrylic on canvas, 48 x 96” 1988
Swami’s Trophies, gouache on paper, 1995
Now Fly, Gouache on paper, 1990
Planets Come and Gouache on paper, 29.5 x 20.5, 2000
The Holy Cow, gouache on paper, 33 x 45” 1994
Untitled, mixed media on paper, 22 x 30” 1993
Haridwar, gouache on paper, 29.5 x 20.5, 2001
The Art Critic, gouache on paper, 20.5 x 14.5 2006
Khadharastrix & Co. oil on canvas, 42 x 54” 2005
Aspara I, oil on canvas 36 x 30”
Untitled, mixed media on paper, 22 x 30” 1993
Between Bagheera and Sher Khan, oil on canvas, 60 x 54” 1996
Guardians of the Divine Elephant, gouache on paper, 22 x 30” 1991
The Thinker, papier mache, H 25” 1994
Matsyadrasana, gouache on paper, 20.5 x 29.5, 2010 Courtesy Threshold Gallery, NewDelhi, Laugh Lines, Humor Wit and Satire exhibition catalog
Kukkutaasana, gouache on paper, 20.5 x 2.5, 2010, Courtesy Threshold Gallery, New Delhi, Laugh Lines, Humor Wit and Satire exhibition catalog
Upside Down, gouache on paper, 19 x 15” 2000
Untitled, gouache on paper, 2000
Gangavataran, gouache on paper, 29.5 x 20.5, 2002
Pee-Cow, oil on canvas, 60 x 72” 2008
Tail Piece, oil on canvas, 60 x 72” 2008
March for the Mahatma, oil on canvas, 36 x 48.5, 2005
You Carry the Burden, I will Play the Flute, gouache on paper, 22 x 30” 1994
Paan India, oil on canvas, 2011
Harsha V. Dehejia Collection:
Rana Bhim Singh of Mewar, (r.1778-1828) 19th c
Kali, Madhubani, 20th c
Lakshmi, Rajasthan, 18th C
Govardhana Giridhari, Kotah, 19th c
Additional image credits:
Cosmic Man, Nepal, 20th C, collection of Kathryn Myers
Raja Ravi Varma oleographs, Wikipedia Commons