Sajeev Visweswaran
is a visual artist based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. While he works in many media and styles, drawing always comes at the center of his work. He has maintained a focus on minimalist lines and measures etchings throughout his repertoire. Sajeev's works draw on the tension between the mundane activities of every day life and his political sensibilities, between his young life in village India and the world of fine art. He is fascinated by the intersection of the personal and the political, presence and absence, the domestic and the public. Sajeev received his training from the College of Arts, New Delhi where he received his BFA, before completing his MVA at M.S. University, Baroda. His first solo show was held at 1,Shanthi Road, Bangalore in 2014, and his works have been selected for several exhibitions and group shows across India, as well as in Korea and France. He has attended residencies at 1,Shanthi Road, Bangalore in 2014 and the 'Residence Price' at the 13th Biennale Internationale de Gravure de Sarcelles, France in 2008. For further information see below.
In addition to his work as a practicing artist, he teaches courses in drawing and printmaking at a variety of Indian and American institutions. Posters for his past workshops can be seen here.
Sajeev’s work is featured in the Waswo x Waswo Collection of Indian Printmaking, a collection of 291 prints by more than 100 contemporary Indian artists. This collection is a promised gift to the University of Iowa Stanley
Museum of Art.
In the Press:
‘Division, Commonality, Encounter’ at the Scarab Club
Activism in art: See 'Division, Commonality, Encounter' at Detroit's Scarab Club by Michael H. Hodges
Drawings from Loss by Sajeev Visweswaran at 1 Shanthi Road
Sepulchres of Icicles: Sajeev Visweswaran at 1 Shanti Road by Johny ML
FEATURED SHOWS
2022 “Simulacrum”, featured show curated by Arushi Vats at Anant Art Gallery, New Delhi, India
2020 “Division, Commonality, Encounter”, Four Person Show, Scarab Club, Detroit, USA
2018 “(RE)VISITING THE URBAN,” Four Person Show Anant Art, Bikaner House, New Delhi, India
2015 Following Parasurama, Native memories, Visual Arts Gallery, IHC, New Delhi
2011 3Ds: Different Dimensions and Definitions, Three person show, Gallery Ensign, New Delhi
SOLO SHOWS
2014 “Drawings from loss,” Solo Show at 1, Shanthi road, Bangalore, India
2012 “Open Studio,” Solo Show, F/1, Tarabaug, Polytechnique Campus, M.S. University, Vadodara, India
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2022 “Nature”, An exhibition curated by Taurus Burn at CAS Cafe, Detriot, USA
2021 “Incomplete”, Scarab Club, Detriot, USA
2021 “Surface Tension”, An exhibition of printmakers, Scarab Club, Detriot, USA
2020 Mandali: India and the world, virtual exhibition curated by Mia Risberg as a part of Rasa festival, Ann Arbor, USA
2019 “WILD”, Group Exhibition at Scarab Club, Detroit, USA
2019 “37th Bradley International Print and Drawing Exhibition,” Bradley University, USA
2019 Members Exhibition, Whitdel Arts, Detroit, USA
2019 All Media exhibition, Detroit Art Market, Detroit, USA
2018 “Print Effect”, Manhattan Graphic Center, New York, USA
2018 Paper works, Scarab Club, Detroit, USA
2018 "Print Summer", 2018, IPCNY, New York, USA
2018 5th Graphic Arts Biennale of Szeklerland, Romania
2018 "Persistence of memory", Group show, Akara Art, Mumbai, India
2018 “Sculpture park”, Group show at Riverside Arts center, Ann Arbor, USA
2018 Indian Art Fair, Anant Art, 2018
2017 Landscape of Dissent, 29th Safdar Hashmi Memorial, Constitutional Club, New Delhi
2016 ART ONE, At Avani Institute, Calicut, Kerala.
2016 Inaugural show, Part 2, Nazar Gallery, Baroda
2015 CLIPBOARD, curated by Shijo Jaicob, Darbar Hall, Kochi
2015 OED 2015, Gallery OED, Kochi
2015 Barter collections, The Mumbai Art Room, Colaba
2015 A4 – Aid for VCARE and Animal Welfare, Priyasri Gallery, Baroda
2015 Elemental, curated by Suresh Jayaram, Sublime Galleria, Bangalore
2015 Back to College, Vadfest, Department of Graphic Arts, M.S. University of Baroda
2015 PAPYRUS INDIC, a paper show, Vadfest, Baroda
2014 Small Format Group Show, Sumukha Gallery, Bangalore
2014 Remembering Lessing, Faculty of Fine Arts, M.S. University, Baroda
2014 Contemporary Contingencies, Gallery OED, Fort Kochi
2014 (IN)TO THE MIDDLE OF THE “STORIES,” Gallery OED, Cochin
2013 The Web of Water, curated by Sandhya Bordawekar and Saira Lloyd, Derby, England
2013 7 (7Artist and 7 Media), Gallery 7, Colaba, Mumbai
2013 REVISIT, Kerala Lalithakala Akademi, Thrissur organised by OED Gallery, Kochi
2013 Nanum Art, Moon Gallery, Seuol, S. Korea
2013 ASIAN YOUNG ARTISTS, Gallery Lexington, Busan, S Korea
2013 ASYAAF (Asian Students and Young Artists Art Festival), Seuol, S. Korea
2013 REMENISCENCE, Lalithakala Academy Art gallery, Calicut,Kerala
2013 FLUID, water colour show, SITE Art Space, GIDC, Baroda
2013 Baroda March, edition 6th, curated by Rukshaan Krishna, Mumbai
2012 A/P 2, print port folio, Priyasri Art Gallery, Mumbai
2012 SMALL IS BIG, Darbar Hall Gallery, Kochi, Kerala
2011 A for Arple, curated by Johny M.L., Ragini gallery, New Delhi
2011 From Baroda, to Japan, Exhibition hall, Faculty of Fine Arts, Baroda
2011 Fly Vadodara Fly, group show of 60 Artists, Red Earth Galleries, Baroda
2010 Baroda March, The Strand Art Room, Colaba, Mumbai
2009 Young Printmaker’s Show, Priyasri Art Gallery, Mumbai
2009 Hub Show, Faculty of Fine Arts, Baroda
2009 Chupa Rustam, Monolith Studio, Baroda
2009 A/P: Group Show Of Graphics And Drawings, Faculty Of Fine Arts, M.S. University, Baroda
2008 Inaugural show, de l’Emap (Ecole municipale d’arts plastiques) et de la salle des fetes Jacques Berrier, Ville de Sarcelles, Paris, France
2008 ART BEAT: A Contemporary Art Show, The Shrine Empire Gallery, New Delhi
2008 Bodhi Art Award Show, Mumbai
2008 State Exhibition, Kerala Lalit Kala Academy, Durbar Hall, Ernakulam, Kerala
2007 13th Biennale Internationale De Gravure De Sarcelles, Paris, France
2005 Kerala Images: A Group Show, Travancore Art Gallery, New Delhi
2004 Drawing and Graphics, AIFACS, New Delhi
2004 There’s Place in the Sun, curated by Johny M.L., Krishna Art Gallery, New Delhi
CAMP
2008 Chingam, Kerala Lalit Kala Academy, National Camp for Painting, Thekkady, Kerala
EDUCATION AND CERTIFICATIONS
2006-2008 M.V.A. in printmaking, Faculty of Fine Arts, Maharaja Sayajirao University, Vadodara, India
2002-2006 B.F.A. in painting, College of Arts, New Delhi, India
1999-2001 B.Sc. Mathematics, Sree Kerala Varma College, Thrissur, India
LEADERSHIP
01/2020 Curator, “Division, Commonality, Encounter”, Scarab Club, Detroit, USA
09/2018 Co-curator, “An Other India: Diverse Impressions,” Rasa Festival, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA 05/2016
External Jury Member for University Exam, Faculty of Fine Arts, M.S. University of Baroda, Vadodara, India 04/2014
External Jury Member for University Exam, Faculty of Fine Arts, M.S. University of Baroda, Vadodara, India 12/2013
External Jury Member for University Exam, Faculty of Fine Arts, M.S. University of Baroda, Vadodara, India
TEACHING
2020 - Reductive Screen printing workshop, Manhattan Graphic Center, NY, USA
2019 - Artist in Residence, Visual Arts Collective (Winter/Spring) Neutral Zone, Ann Arbor, USA
2018 - Artist in Residence, Visual Arts Collective (Winter/Spring) Neutral Zone, Ann Arbor, USA
2016 - Visiting Faculty (Monsoon Semester),Ashoka University, Sonepat, Haryana, India
2016 - Visiting Faculty (Monsoon Semester), Ansal University, Gurugram, Haryana, India
2015 - Visiting Faculty (Co-Curricular Session, October) Navarachana University, Vadodara, India
2014 - Visiting Faculty (Co-Curricular Session, October and March) Navarachana University, Vadodara, India
2013 - Visiting Faculty (Co-Curricular Session, October) Navarachana University, Vadodara, India
2011-2012 Temporary Teaching Assistant, Printmaking Department at Faculty of Fine Arts, M.S. University of Baroda, India
2009-2010 Visiting Faculty, Printmaking Department at College of Art, New Delhi, India
2008 Assistant to Mr Pierre Tanguy, Printmaking Department as Visiting Faculty, École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts (ENSBA), Paris, France
WORKSHOPS
04/2024 Water color monotypes at The Sindecuse Museum of Dentistry, University of Michigan
10/2023 Screen printing workshop at The Sindecuse Museum of Dentistry, University of Michigan
06/2023 Water color monotypes at Neuroscience Department by ART INITIATIVE, University of Michigan
06/2022 Dry point workshop at The Sindecuse Museum of Dentistry, by ART INITIATIVE, University of Michigan
09/2021 - Relief and Screen printing workshop at Neutral Zone, Ann Arbor, USA
06/2020 - Screen printing workshop, Ann Arbor Summer Festival, USA
02/2020 - Family Art Studio (Screen printing technique) at UMMA, Ann Arbor, USA
02/2020 - Ann Arbor Public School Teachers Workshop (Screen printing technique) at UMMA, Ann Arbor, USA
01/2020 - Instructor: Basic introduction to Printmaking at Ann Arbor Art Center, USA
11/2019 - Family Art Studio (Relief printmaking technique) at UMMA, Ann Arbor, USA
11/2019 - Instructor: Linocut workshop at Ann Arbor Art Center, Ann Arbor, USA
03/2019 - Instructor: Linocut workshop with Making Sensory Ethnography, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA
01/2019 - Instructor: Linocut workshop at Ann Arbor Downtown District Library, Ann Arbor, USA
09/2018 - Instructor: Linocut workshop at Ann Arbor District Downtown Library in collaboration with the Rasa Foundation, Ann Arbor, USA
07/2018 - Instructor: Linocut workshop at Ann Arbor Art Center, USA
07/2018 - Instructor: Linocut workshop, Juvenile Justice Program, Neutral Zone, Ann Arbor, USA
12/2016 - Instructor: Linocut workshop at Kiran Nadar Museum of Art, New Delhi, India
09/2016 - Instructor: Linocut workshop at Kiran Nadar Museum of Art, New Delhi, India
02/2016 - Instructor: Woodcut workshop at Fine Arts Department, Parul University, Vadodara, India
10/2013 - Instructor: Viscosity workshop at Faculty of Fine Arts, Veer Narmad South Gujarat University, Surat, India
02/2013 - Instructor: Serigraphy workshop at Faculty of Fine Arts, Veer Narmad South Gujarat University, Surat, India
01/2011 - Instructor: Viscosity worshop at Faculty of Fine arts, Veer Narmad South Gujarat University, Surat, India
11/2010 - Instructor: Collograph workshop at Space Studio in collaboration with Utkarsh Vidhyalaya Secondary School, Vadodara, India