Mahesh Prajapati

Visual Artist | Printmaker | Educator

Born in 1970 in Bhilai, Chhattisgarh, the artist is a senior Indian printmaker, educator, and researcher with over three decades of dedicated practice in graphic arts and contemporary printmaking. Currently serving as Associate Professor in the Department of Graphics (Printmaking) at the Government College of Art, Chandigarh, he has made a significant contribution to art education and institutional development. He is an active member of the Chandigarh Lalit Kala Akademi, contributing consistently to the regional and national art ecosystem.

Academic training in printmaking was pursued at some of India’s most respected institutions. He completed his B.F.A. (1995) from Indira Kala Sangeet University, Khairagarh, followed by an M.F.A. (1997) from Kala Bhavan, Visva-Bharati University, Santiniketan, where the emphasis on process, philosophy, and discipline deeply shaped his artistic outlook. In 1998, he qualified the UGC–NET, and soon after undertook advanced studies in printmaking in China (1999–2001) under a Chinese Government scholarship. This international exposure expanded his technical vocabulary and introduced a cross-cultural sensibility that continues to inform his work. He was later awarded a Ph.D. (2008), reinforcing his engagement with research-based art practice.

His career has been marked by numerous prestigious national and international awards, including the 48th National Academy Award, Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi, and the Grand Prize at the 7th International Print Biennial, Bhopal. He has also received multiple honors from AIFACS, Indian Academy of Fine Arts, and the Prafulla Dahanukar Art Foundation, along with honorary recognitions in France and Thailand. Fellowships from MHRD, New Delhi, and Lalit Kala Akademi, Chandigarh further acknowledge his sustained contribution to printmaking.

The artist has participated in major exhibitions across India and internationally in France, China, Bangladesh, and Thailand, including the renowned Triennale of Chamalieres. He has presented solo exhibitions in Beijing and several acclaimed duo exhibitions titled “Catharsis” at Alliance Française, Chandigarh.

Rooted in the discipline of traditional printmaking yet open to contemporary concerns, his work reflects layered narratives of human experience, memory, and inner transformation. Through a balance of technical precision and conceptual depth, his practice continues to strengthen the language of Indian printmaking while inspiring future generations of artists.