J. M. S. Mani

Throughout his extensive career, the late JMS Mani explored various mediums and styles. Delving into nature-inspired and gestural abstractions, etchings, along with his acrylic and oil paintings, the prolific artist was in a constant state of evolution. From early sketches to landscapes and impressionistic and surreal artworks, his portfolio also includes stunning pieces created with watercolour, mixed media, printmaking, and sculpture. He extensively explored physical spaces, crafting archetypes of mountains, trees, monuments, boulders, and the rocky landscapes of Hampi, which continuously fascinated him. Perhaps his most renowned collection, the Badami Series, portrays everyday life in the historical setting of Badami in Karnataka, featuring a diverse array of characters from flower sellers and fruit vendors to girls with braids and street hawkers. By blending contemporary aesthetics and Western formalism with an Indian sensibility, he vividly brings to life the vibrant colours of rural South India.