Anjolie Ela Menon
Anjolie Ela Menon is a preeminent contemporary Indian artist with a career spanning over six decades, celebrated for her distinctive figurative style. Born in 1940, her artistic journey began early, leading her to study at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, where she developed her signature technique of applying thin, translucent layers of oil on masonite, often burnishing the surface to achieve a unique glow reminiscent of medieval icons. Influenced by masters like Modigliani and Byzantine art, as well as Indian painters such as Amrita Sher-Gil and M.F. Husain, Menon's work consistently explores universal themes with a distinctly Indian sensibility, including urban life, family, and spirituality. Her extensive body of work, which also encompasses murals and experimental media like Murano glass and computer graphics, has been showcased in over 45 solo exhibitions globally and is held in major collections worldwide, including the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) in New Delhi and the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco.
A recipient of the Padma Shri, one of India's highest civilian honors, and the French Chevalier dans l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, Menon is revered for her unique artistic vision, her empathetic portrayals, and her continuous evolution as an artist.
