Anju Dodiya

Anju Dodiya was born in Bombay in 1964. She graduated from the J.J. School of Art in 1986 with a BFA in Painting. 

Dodiya’s early works were abstract, but following her first show, ‘A Fictional Autobiography,’ she tried to refocus her gaze on railway stations, roadside scenes and so forth. Ultimately, however, she found her original impulse of a painterly introspection as her strongest inspiration and re-channelled her vision into describing situations from her own life. 

She creates expressive watercolours layered with images and symbolism. Rooted in the figurative, Dodiya draws inspiration from a range of artists including poet Sylvia Plath, filmmaker Ingmar Bergman, and early Renaissance masters Piero della Francesca and Giotto. Bold patterns and vivid colours of medieval French tapestries and Japanese woodblock prints also influence her works. Often autobiographical, her works reveal her interest in self-reflection and the process of self-discovery. Dodiya does this primarily through painting, however, has also created intricate installations involving embroidered mattresses and shards of broken mirror. 

The majority of her works allow the viewer to visualise the private thoughts and moments which someone experiences when they are alone. Dodiya’s self is a recurring theme in each context. These are inward looking investigations with a keen sense of self-awareness. Her works compel the viewer to unravel stories of the female protagonists, yet they don’t reveal the full narrative. Dodiya also creates her own legends that are often self-disruptive autobiographies. 

Dodiya’s works have been exhibited both in India and internationally, including the Frieze international art fair, Art Basel, and India Art Fair. She also has numerous works in private and public collections including the National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi; Chemould Prescott Road, Bombay; and the Art Institute of Chicago. Dodiya has also been the recipient of a number of awards such as the Zee Existence Award (2007); the Reliance India Art Exhibition Award for Harmony (1999); and she was nominated twice for the Sotheby’s Prize for Contemporary Art (1998, 2000). She lives and works in Bombay.