Page 10 - Contemporary Indian Art

Lot No. 1

Surendran Nair
b. 1956

RAINBOWS IN CURVED AIR - STUDY FOR AN
INSTALLATION ELYSIUM
(CUCKOONEBULOPOLIS)
71 x 71 in (180.3 x 180.3 cm)
Oil on canvas
2010
Signed & Dated: Verso

` 15,00,000 – 20,00,000 | $ 18,519 - 24,691

Exhibited: Sfmoma Artists Gallery, San Francisco, 2010

Surendran Nair’s art seamlessly blends traditional
and contemporary imagery, drawing inspiration
from political caricatures and cinema posters while
rooted in surrealism. Spanning various mediums
from watercoloUr to printmaking and oils, Nair’s
creative journey began in Kerala in 1956. After
studying painting at the College of Fine Arts,
Trivandrum, he further honed his skills with a
printmaking course at M. S. University, Vadodara.

Initially focusing on pen and ink drawings, etchings,
and lithography, Nair’s early career centred on
portraits. However, his exploration expanded
into oils, sparking a fascination with “corollary
mythologies,” reimagining ancient fables within
contemporary context. This fascination culminated
in the late 1990s with a series of hand-coloured
etchings titled “The Labyrinth of Eternal Delight.”

The artist with the presented lot on exhibit at
San Francisco Museum Of Modern Art, 2010.