About Me
A journey through art, music, and the autobiographical exploration of life's experiences.
The Artist
I come from a typical middle class Indian family with a working father and stay at home mother. I was born and brought up in a beautiful town of Dehradun in the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand.
For higher education I had the opportunity to study Industrial Design at the prestigious National Institute of Design, which laid the foundation of my creative career as a painter.
I am also trained in Indian Classical music (sitar instrument) which has deeply affected my sensibilities as a painter. This musical foundation creates a unique rhythm in my visual compositions.
Artist Statements
"My work is autobiographical, in a sense that I feel, observe and transform whatever enters my life or whatever I have consciously put myself into and let that experience naturally emerge in my paintings."— On artistic philosophy
"The sitar has taught me about rhythm, about the spaces between notes. In painting, I seek those same silences - the moments between brushstrokes where meaning lives."— On music and art
"Growing up in Dehradun, surrounded by the Himalayas, taught me that art, like mountains, is both monumental and intimate. Each painting is a peak I must climb."— On landscape and identity
"I don't paint what I see; I paint what I feel. The canvas becomes a mirror of my inner landscape, shaped by music, memory, and the mountain air of my childhood."— On emotional expression
Origins
Born and raised in Dehradun, nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas. The natural beauty of Uttarakhand continues to influence my artistic vision and appears throughout my landscape paintings.
Education
Industrial Design at the National Institute of Design provided the foundation for my creative practice and understanding of form, function, and aesthetics that translates into my painting compositions.
Musical Training
Trained in Indian Classical music on the sitar, which has profoundly shaped my artistic sensibilities. The rhythm, space, and emotional depth of ragas directly influence my approach to composition and color in painting.
Artistic Philosophy
My work is autobiographical - I feel, observe and transform whatever enters my life, letting these experiences naturally emerge in my paintings. Each canvas becomes a chapter in my ongoing narrative.
International Exhibitions
United States
Museum of Modern Art, New York
Italy
Palazzo Grassi, Venice
France
Centre Pompidou, Paris
India
Jehangir Art Gallery, National Gallery of Modern Art
Press Recognition
ArtForum International
2024 - The New Indian Voice: Amit Gautam's Musical Paintings
Art in America
2023 - Contemporary Masters: Rising Stars from South Asia
Frieze Magazine
2023 - Beyond Borders: Global Contemporary Art
Asian Art News
2022 - Musical Meditations on Canvas
Studio Practice
My studio in Dehradun overlooks the Himalayan foothills, providing daily inspiration from the changing light and seasonal transformations of the mountains. I typically work in the early morning hours when the light is soft and my mind is clear from meditation.
Each painting session begins with a brief sitar practice, allowing the musical phrases to settle into my consciousness before I approach the canvas. This ritual bridges my two artistic practices and creates a meditative state essential to my creative process.
I work primarily with oil paints, building layers slowly over time. Like the ragas I play, each painting develops through improvisation within a structured framework, allowing for spontaneous discoveries while maintaining compositional integrity.
Artist Statement
"My work is autobiographical, in a sense that I feel, observe and transform whatever enters my life or whatever I have consciously put myself into and let that experience naturally emerge in my paintings. The intersection of my musical training and visual art creates a unique rhythm and composition that speaks to both the classical traditions I've inherited and the contemporary world I inhabit."
"I have exhibited at some of the prestigious galleries like Jehangir Art Gallery, Kamalnayan Bajaj Art Gallery and my work is collected by individuals as well as in corporate and city collections in India and abroad."