Anand Chandrashekhar Shende

Born in Nagpur, Maharashtra (1971), Anand Chandrashekhar Shende is an acclaimed visual artist and
academic whose practice blends imagination, memory, and symbolism. He holds a BFA in Applied Art
(Nagpur University, 1996), MFA by Research (Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University, 2011),
and a Ph.D. in Applied Art (Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University, 2017). Since 2003, he has
been serving as an Associate Professor in the Department of Applied Art at the Government College of
Art, Chandigarh.
Shende’s work explores the hidden layers of memory and consciousness, using bright colors and
symbolic imagery drawn from everyday life. His art, often compared to Cubist compositions and Ajanta
frescoes, transforms simple human moments into meditative visual narratives.
He has held two solo exhibitions, including “Frames of Memory” at Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai
(2019), and has participated in numerous national and international group shows, art camps, and
residencies — notably the ArtsInspire International Residency in Mauritius (2024) and the Kamakura Art
Festival in Japan (2024).
Shende is the recipient of several state and national awards, such as the Chandigarh Lalit Kala Akademi
State Award (2006), Best Innovative Photography Award (BHU, 2017), and the State Award – Punjab
Region (Prafulla Dahanukar Art Foundation, 2023).
His works are part of prestigious collections, including the Government Museum & Art Gallery,
Chandigarh, various universities, and private collections across India and abroad.
Through his art, Anand C. Shende continues to explore the intersection of memory, emotion, and form —
revealing the extraordinary beauty hidden within ordinary life.