Manu Parekh

Manu Parekh, born in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, is an Indian artist known for his explorations of humanity, nature, and social issues. He studied at Sir J. J. School of Art, Bombay, and drew inspiration from artists including Arshile Gorky, Roberto Matta, S. B. Palsikar, and Rabindranath Tagore. His celebrated Banaras series reflects his distinctive use of colour, bold brushstrokes, and prominent lines. Parekh has worked across colourful abstraction, figuration, and expressive imagery, with themes ranging from nature and daily life to social concerns. His paintings on the Bhagalpur blindings of 1980 reveal his response to human suffering. Women frequently appear in his works as nature spirits, plant forms, germinating seeds, and allegorical figures rooted in mythological traditions. A stage designer, art designer, actor, and artist, Parekh has also explored craft and indigenous artistic traditions through extensive travel and his association with the Weavers’ Service Centre.