Amar Kanwar

Who is Amar Kanwar?

Born 1964. Lives and works in New Delhi.

Emerging from the Indian sub continent, Amar Kanwar's films are complex, contemporary narratives that connect intimate personal spheres of existence to larger social political processes. The films link legends and ritual objects to new symbols and public events, which trigger emotional and intellectual disturbances in the viewer. Finding a contextual relationship with diverse audiences, Kanwar's work maps a journey of exploration revealing our relationship with the politics of power, violence, sexuality and justice.

Recent solo exhibitions in 2013-14 have been at the Art Institute of Chicago 2013-14, Yorkshire Sculpture Park 2013-14, TBA 21, Vienna 2013-14 and the Fotomuseum Winterthur, Zurich 2012.

Recent group exhibitions in 2013 have been at the 56th Carnegie International, USA, Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, South Korea, Tarra Warra Museum of Art, Victoria, Australia, 13th Istanbul Biennial, 5th Moscow Biennale of Contemporary Art, Sharjah Biennale 11, Kochi Biennale, India, Bristol Museum, UK and the Guggenheim Museum, New York.

He has also had retrospectives at film festivals including the 5th International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala, India, the 13th Madurai International Documentary and Short Film Festival, India, the Documentary Dream Show, Tokyo, the Parallel Perspectives Film Festival, Hyderabad, and the 9th International Short Film Festival, Bangladesh.