Latika Katt (20 February 1948 – 25 January 2025) was an Indian sculptor who specialized in stone carving, metal casting and bronze sculpting.[1] She won the Beijing Art Biennale Award for her bronze work titled "Makar Sankranti at Dashawmeth Ghat, Varanasi.[2][3]

Life and career

Latika Katt graduated from The Doon School, an all-boys school in Dehradun. She admitted that being in the minority as a girl in an all-boys school gave her confidence and courage in her later years.[4] She started attending the Baroda College of Art to pursue Bachelor of Fine Arts, Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda where she graduated with First Class honours in 1971.[5] She was awarded a scholarship to research at the Slade School of Art, London University, London in 1981.[6]

She first got great recognition in the 1970s for a body of experimental work made from cow dung as she did not have funds for anything else.[4] Her talent was spotted by the politician and Prime Minister Indira Gandhi during an art exhibition, who later encouraged her to take sculpting as a profession.[7] She was a great admirer of Auguste Rodin and used naturalism as her leitmotif.[8] Her interest and association with nature was kindled by her father, a botanist.[4] She taught at Jamia Millia Islamia and Banaras Hindu University for many years starting in 1981 and was the Head of Department of Fine Arts at Jamia Millia Islamia.[5] Claiming to sculpt real people, most of her subjects are her relatives, friends and students.[8]

Katt lived and worked in Delhi and Banaras.[9] She died on 25 January 2025, at the age of 76.[10]

Exhibitions

Bust of Jawaharlal Nehru (1991) by Latika Katt, India Place, London WC2. Plinth by Peter Leach Associates.

Some art exhibitions showcasing her works:[6]

  • Paris Biennale, Museum of Modern Art, Paris.
  • ‘STREE’ Show at Moscow, Leningrad & Tashkent.
  • The Self and The World: An Exhibition of Indian Women Artists at the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) in Delhi.[11]
  • Chemould Art Gallery and Woodstock Art Gallery, London.
  • Molten Landscapes at Cymroza Art Gallery, Mumbai.[12]
  • Group Show at Gallerie Alternatives, Gurgaon.
  • “Heads”, Sakshi Gallery, Mumbai.

Solos: Art Heritage, MMB & Kala Mela Lawns in New Delhi, Calcutta Art Gallery Kolkata, Sculptures, Painting and Prints JAG CYAG[13]

Awards

  • Gujarat State Lalit Kala Academy, Ahmedabad, 1973.
  • All India Fine Arts and Crafts, 1974.
  • Society, New Delhi, 1975 and 1976.
  • Academy of Fine Arts, Calcutta, 1974.
  • Honoured as one of the Five Distinguished Women of Baroda, 1975.
  • International Women's Show at Artists Centre, Bombay, 1975.
  • A.P. Council of Artists, Hyderabad, 1976.
  • National Award, Lalit Kala Academy, New Delhi, 1980.

Scholarships

  • National Cultural Scholarships MSU, UGC New Delhi.
  • International: British Council Scholarship Slade School of Art, London.

References

  1. ^ http://www.karmayog.in/events/sites/default/files/Final_Catalog.pdf[permanent dead link‍]
  2. ^ "In the News". Artnewsnviews.com. Archived from the original on 22 January 2011. Retrieved 27 March 2012.
  3. ^ "Indian wins Beijing Art Biennale award". Zeenews.india.com. Retrieved 27 March 2012.
  4. ^ a b c "Material Queen". Indian Express. 22 March 2012. Retrieved 27 March 2012.
  5. ^ a b "Ms. Latika Katt, Department of Fine Arts". Old.jmi.ac.in. Archived from the original on 13 July 2012. Retrieved 27 March 2012.
  6. ^ a b "Latika Katt - Gallerie Alternatives". Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  7. ^ Kusumita Das (7 March 2011). "An iron will gets moulded in stone". The Asian Age. Retrieved 27 March 2012.
  8. ^ a b Nair, Uma (20 December 2018). "Latika Katt's talking heads". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  9. ^ "IBNLive". Features.ibnlive.in.com. Archived from the original on 8 July 2012. Retrieved 27 March 2012.
  10. ^ Latika Katt, one of India’s most prolific sculptors, passes away at 76
  11. ^ "Voyage of self discovery". India Today. 30 April 1997.
  12. ^ "The Exhibition". Cymroza Art Gallery. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 5 July 2015.
  13. ^ Sheth, Pretima. Dictionary of Indian Art & Artist. Mapin publishing.

Sources

  • Sheth, Pretima. Dictionary of Indian Art & Artist. Mapin publishing.

Further reading

Allikas: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latika_Katt
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