Introduction
- Date of Birth
- 21 Jun 1928
- Zodiac sign
- Gemini
- Date of Death
- 25 Apr 1994
- Age
- 65
- Place of Birth
- Sanjauli, Himachal Pradesh, India
- Place of Death
- New Delhi, NCT of Delhi, India
- Spouse(s)
- Bhawani pande
- Children
- No children
- State Country of Birth
- Himachal Pradesh, India
- State Country of Death
- NCT of Delhi, India
1956
- Studied at the Art Department, Delhi Polytechnic, New Delhi, India
1958
- Scholarship to study at the Academy of Fine Arts, Warsaw, Poland
1962
- Founder Member, Group 1890 an Active Group of 12 Protesting Artists
1962 – 1965
1966
- Founded and edited a monthly Journal on Art called 'Contra'
1968
- Jawaharlal Nehru Fellowship, New Delhi, India
1968 – 1970
1969
- International Jury, Sao Paolo Biennale, Sao Paolo, Brazil
1981
- Founder Director, Bharat Bhavan, Bhopal, India (Invited by the Government of Madhya Pradesh to set it up)
1981 – 1990
Exhibitions
1960
- Three-man Show, New Delhi, India
1961
- Two-man Show, New Delhi, India
- Opening Show, Kunika-Chemould Art Centre, New Delhi, India
- National Exhibition of Art, Lalit Kala Akademi, Rabindra Bhavan, New Delhi, India
1962
- One-man Show, New Delhi, India
- Sailoz Mookherjea and his Pupils, New Delhi, India
1963
- Group 1890 Exhibition, Inaugurated by Jawahar Lal Nehru, New Delhi, India
- Twenty Two Painters, Lucknow, India
- UNESCO Exhibition of Indian Graphics to Europe
1964
- One-man Show, New Delhi, India
- National Exhibition of Art, Lalit Kala Akademi, Rabindra Bhavan, New Delhi, India
- Three Man Show of Drawings, New Delhi, India
1965
- First International Exhibition, Saigon, Vietnam
- Gallery Chemould, Mumbai, India
26 Nov 1965 to 04 Dec 1965
- One-man Show, Watercolours, New Delhi, India
- Art Now in India, Commonwealth Arts Festival, London, UK
- Tokyo Biennale, Tokyo, Japan
1966
- Colour Geometry of Space, New Delhi, India
- Silpi Chakra Lending Library Show, New Delhi, India
1967
- Seven Painters, London, UK
- Group Show, Kunika-Chemould Art Centre, New Delhi, India
- Silpi Chakra Group Show, New Delhi, India
1968
- First Triennale India, Lalit Kala Akademi, Rabindra Bhavan, New Delhi, India
- Five Contemporary Painters, New Delhi, India
1969
- One-man Show, New Delhi, India
- Indian Painters '1969, Kolkata, India
- Group Show, Mumbai, India
1970
- One-man Show, New Delhi, India
- One-man Show, New Delhi, India
- Indian Painters, Group Show, Zurich, Switzerland
- Indian Painters, Group Show,Tokyo, Japan
1971
11 Oct 1971 to 23 Oct 1971
- One-man Show, Shimla, India
1972
12 Jan 1972 to 18 Jan 1972
1973
- Homage to Solzhenitsyn, New Delhi, India
- Homage to Kangra Valley, New Delhi, India
- Dhoomimal Gallery, New Delhi, India
1974
1975
- One-man Show, Pundole Art Gallery, Mumbai, India
- 3rd Triennale India, Lalit Kala Akademi, Rabindra Bhavan, New Delhi, India
- One-man Show, Dhoomimal Gallery, New Delhi, India
1976
- One-man Show of Drawings, Bhopal, India
- One-man Show of Drawings, Natraj Gallery, New Delhi, India
- Contemporary Indian Paintings, Perth, Australia
- One-man Show, Dhoomimal Gallery, New Delhi, India
1977
- One-man Show, Dhoomimal Gallery, New Delhi, India
1978
- One-man Show, Dhoomimal Gallery, New Delhi, India
- Dhoomimal Gallery, New Delhi, India
1979
16 Feb 1979 to 03 Mar 1979
1980
12 Nov 1980 to 24 Nov 1980
1982
- Contemporary Art Gallery, Ahmedabad, India
1984
03 May 1984 to 19 May 1984
1985
1986
- 1st National Biennale, Bharat Bhavan, Bhopal, India
1987
- Festival of India, Moscow, Russia
- Perceiving Fingers - Catalogue of Roopankar Collection of Folk and Adivasi Art from Madhya Pradesh, Bharat Bhavan, Bhopal, India. 1987
1988
26 Mar 1988 to 15 Apr 1988
- 2nd National Biennale, Bharat Bhavan, Bhopal, India
- Seventeen Indian Painters, on occasion of 25 years of Gallery Chemould, Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai, India
1990
- Gallery Chemould, Mumbai, India
1991
- National Exposition of Contemporary Art, National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), New Delhi, India
12 Dec 1991 to 30 Dec 1991
1992
24 Jan 1992 to 24 Feb 1992
- Memorial, All India Fine Arts and Crafts Society (AIFACS), New Delhi, India
1993
15 Oct 1993 to 14 Nov 1993
1994
- Obora, Montreal, Canada
- Birla Academy of Arts and Culture, Kolkata, India
- Sakshi Gallery, Mumbai, India
1995
- Bharat Bhavan, Bhopal, India
- Hungarian Information and Cultural Centre, New Delhi, India
- Gallery Chemould, Mumbai, India
1996
- Winnipeg Art Gallery, Winnipeg and Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver, Canada
- Modern Indian Paintings, |One Hundred Years - Part I , Kumar Gallery, New Delhi, India
1997
2004
2005
- Ashta Nayak: Eight Pioneers of Indian Art, Aicon Gallery, New York, USA
- Golden Jubilee: Spirit set Free, Kumar Gallery Fifty Years, New Delhi, India
28 Oct 2005 to 30 Dec 2005
2008
- Homage to Swaminathan, All India Fine Arts Crafts Society (AIFACS), New Delhi, India
09 Feb 2008 to 14 Feb 2008
- 3 Masters Briefly, Akar Prakar, Kolkata, India
- Moderns, Organised by Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi in collaboration with Embassy of India, Amman at Royal Cultural Centre, Amman, Jordan
- Paz Mandala, Lalit Kala Akademi, Rabindra Bhavan, New Delhi, India
2009
- In Search of the Vernacular, Aicon Gallery, New York, USA
- Bharat Ratna! Jewels of Modern Indian Art, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, USA
04 Apr 2009 to 10 Apr 2009
2010
- Open Doors, Kiran Nadar Museum of Art (KNMA), New Delhi, India
01 Jan 2010 to 31 Oct 2010
- Modern Folk: The Folk Art Roots of the Modernist Avant-Garde, Aicon Art Gallery, New York
- From Miniature to Modern: Traditions in Transition, Rob Dean Art, London in association with Pundole Art Gallery, Mumbai, India
- Figure/Landscape - Part One, Aicon Gallery, New York, USA
2011
- Masterclass, Dhoomimal Art Gallery, New Delhi, India
Swaminathan, J. (Artist). J. Swaminathan, 1968 | Solo Exhibition Catalogue | 00882834
1962
- One-man Show, New Delhi, India
1964
- One-man Show, New Delhi, India
1965
- First International Exhibition, Saigon, Vietnam
- Gallery Chemould, Mumbai, India
26 Nov 1965 to 04 Dec 1965
- One-man Show, Watercolours, New Delhi, India
1966
- Colour Geometry of Space, New Delhi, India
1968
1969
- One-man Show, New Delhi, India
1970
- One-man Show, New Delhi, India
- One-man Show, New Delhi, India
1971
11 Oct 1971 to 23 Oct 1971
- One-man Show, Shimla, India
1972
12 Jan 1972 to 18 Jan 1972
1973
- Homage to Solzhenitsyn, New Delhi, India
- Homage to Kangra Valley, New Delhi, India
1974
1975
- One-man Show, Pundole Art Gallery, Mumbai, India
- One-man Show, Dhoomimal Gallery, New Delhi, India
1976
- One-man Show of Drawings, Bhopal, India
- One-man Show of Drawings, Natraj Gallery, New Delhi, India
- One-man Show, Dhoomimal Gallery, New Delhi, India
1977
- One-man Show, Dhoomimal Gallery, New Delhi, India
1978
- One-man Show, Dhoomimal Gallery, New Delhi, India
1979
16 Feb 1979 to 03 Mar 1979
1980
12 Nov 1980 to 24 Nov 1980
1982
- Contemporary Art Gallery, Ahmedabad, India
1984
03 May 1984 to 19 May 1984
1986
1988
26 Mar 1988 to 15 Apr 1988
1990
- Gallery Chemould, Mumbai, India
1992
24 Jan 1992 to 24 Feb 1992
- Memorial, All India Fine Arts and Crafts Society (AIFACS), New Delhi, India
1993
15 Oct 1993 to 14 Nov 1993
1994
- Obora, Montreal, Canada
- Birla Academy of Arts and Culture, Kolkata, India
- Sakshi Gallery, Mumbai, India
1995
- Bharat Bhavan, Bhopal, India
- Hungarian Information and Cultural Centre, New Delhi, India
- Gallery Chemould, Mumbai, India
1996
- Winnipeg Art Gallery, Winnipeg and Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver, Canada
2008
- Homage to Swaminathan, All India Fine Arts Crafts Society (AIFACS), New Delhi, India
09 Feb 2008 to 14 Feb 2008
2020
Swaminathan, J. (Artist). J. Swaminathan, 1968 | Solo Exhibition Catalogue | 00882834
1960
- Three-man Show, New Delhi, India
1961
- Two-man Show, New Delhi, India
- Opening Show, Kunika-Chemould Art Centre, New Delhi, India
- National Exhibition of Art, Lalit Kala Akademi, Rabindra Bhavan, New Delhi, India
1962
- Sailoz Mookherjea and his Pupils, New Delhi, India
1963
- Group 1890 Exhibition, Inaugurated by Jawahar Lal Nehru, New Delhi, India
- Twenty Two Painters, Lucknow, India
- UNESCO Exhibition of Indian Graphics to Europe
1964
- National Exhibition of Art, Lalit Kala Akademi, Rabindra Bhavan, New Delhi, India
- Three Man Show of Drawings, New Delhi, India
1965
- Art Now in India, Commonwealth Arts Festival, London, UK
- Tokyo Biennale, Tokyo, Japan
1966
- Silpi Chakra Lending Library Show, New Delhi, India
1967
- Seven Painters, London, UK
- Group Show, Kunika-Chemould Art Centre, New Delhi, India
- Silpi Chakra Group Show, New Delhi, India
1968
- First Triennale India, Lalit Kala Akademi, Rabindra Bhavan, New Delhi, India
- Five Contemporary Painters, New Delhi, India
1969
- Indian Painters '1969, Kolkata, India
- Group Show, Mumbai, India
1970
- Indian Painters, Group Show, Zurich, Switzerland
- Indian Painters, Group Show,Tokyo, Japan
1973
- Dhoomimal Gallery, New Delhi, India
1975
- 3rd Triennale India, Lalit Kala Akademi, Rabindra Bhavan, New Delhi, India
1976
- Contemporary Indian Paintings, Perth, Australia
1978
- Dhoomimal Gallery, New Delhi, India
1985
1986
- 1st National Biennale, Bharat Bhavan, Bhopal, India
1987
- Festival of India, Moscow, Russia
- Perceiving Fingers - Catalogue of Roopankar Collection of Folk and Adivasi Art from Madhya Pradesh, Bharat Bhavan, Bhopal, India. 1987
1988
- 2nd National Biennale, Bharat Bhavan, Bhopal, India
- Seventeen Indian Painters, on occasion of 25 years of Gallery Chemould, Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai, India
1990
1991
- National Exposition of Contemporary Art, National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), New Delhi, India
12 Dec 1991 to 30 Dec 1991
1996
- Modern Indian Paintings, |One Hundred Years - Part I , Kumar Gallery, New Delhi, India
1997
2004
2005
- Ashta Nayak: Eight Pioneers of Indian Art, Aicon Gallery, New York, USA
- Golden Jubilee: Spirit set Free, Kumar Gallery Fifty Years, New Delhi, India
28 Oct 2005 to 30 Dec 2005
2008
- 3 Masters Briefly, Akar Prakar, Kolkata, India
- Moderns, Organised by Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi in collaboration with Embassy of India, Amman at Royal Cultural Centre, Amman, Jordan
- Paz Mandala, Lalit Kala Akademi, Rabindra Bhavan, New Delhi, India
2009
- In Search of the Vernacular, Aicon Gallery, New York, USA
- Bharat Ratna! Jewels of Modern Indian Art, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, USA
04 Apr 2009 to 10 Apr 2009
2010
- Open Doors, Kiran Nadar Museum of Art (KNMA), New Delhi, India
01 Jan 2010 to 31 Oct 2010
- Modern Folk: The Folk Art Roots of the Modernist Avant-Garde, Aicon Art Gallery, New York
- From Miniature to Modern: Traditions in Transition, Rob Dean Art, London in association with Pundole Art Gallery, Mumbai, India
- Figure/Landscape - Part One, Aicon Gallery, New York, USA
2011
- Masterclass, Dhoomimal Art Gallery, New Delhi, India
- Roots in the Air, Branches Below: Modern & Contemporary Art from India, San Jose Museum of Art, San Jose, USA
- Manifestations V, Delhi Art Gallery, New Delhi, India
- Adbhutam: Rasa in Indian Art, Centre of International Modern Art (CIMA), Kolkata, India
- Ethos V: Indian Art Through the Lens of History (1900 to 1980), Indigo Blue Art, Singapore
2012
- Through the Ages: South Asian Sculpture and Painting from Antiquity to Modernism, Aicon Gallery, New York, USA
- Transits of a Wholetimer - J. Swaminathan, Gallery Espace, New Delhi, India
2014
- Indian Abstracts, An Absence Of Form, Delhi Art Gallery (DAG) New Delhi, India
11 Aug 2014 to 30 Sep 2014
- Arrivals & Departures: The Story of Indian Modern Art II, Presented by Aicon Gallery, Palo Alto, USA
16 Oct 2014 to 18 Oct 2014
- Immutable Gaze Part I: Masterpieces of Modern and Pre-Modern Indian Art, Aicon Gallery, New York, USA
- Indian Abstracts, An Absence of Form, Delhi Art Gallery (DAG)Mumbai, India
07 Dec 2014 to 05 Feb 2015
2015
- Indian Abstracts, An Absence of Form, Delhi Art Gallery (DAG) New York, USA
13 Jun 2015 to 12 Sep 2015
- Indian Modern: Narratives from 20th Century Indian Art, Delhi Art Galley, New York, USA
18 Mar 2015 to 06 Jun 2015
2016
- Celebration 2016: Important Works by Modern Masters, Kumar Gallery, New Delhi, India
25 Jan 2016 to 05 Feb 2016
2017
- Group 1890: India's Indigenous Modernism, Delhi Art Galley, New York, USA
23 Mar 2017 to 30 Sep 2017
- Hangar for the Passerby, Kiran Nadar Museum of Art (KNMA), New Delhi, India
19 Apr 2017 to 28 Feb 2018
- Synchrome - Masters: A show of drawings, paintings and sculptures by Indian master artists, Akar Prakar, Kolkata, India
19 Jul 2017 to 05 Aug 2017
2018
- The Face of the Sun, Akara Modern, Mumbai, India
06 Jul 2018 to 31 Aug 2018
2019
- The Seventies Show, Delhi Art Gallery (DAG), New Delhi, India
02 Dec 2019 to 25 Jan 2020
- The Sixties Show, Delhi Art Gallery (DAG), New Delhi, India
30 Sep 2019 to 28 Nov 2019
2020
- The Sixties Show, Delhi Art Gallery (DAG), Mumbai, India
10 Feb 2020 to 31 Dec 2020
2021
- Memories Arrested in Space, Akara Modern, Mumbai, India
26 Mar 2021 to 05 May 2021
- Delhi Shilpi Chakra 70 years on, Dhoomimal Art Gallery New Delhi, India
10 Apr 2021 to 15 Aug 2021
2022
- Tantra on the Edge, Inspirations and Experiments in Twentieth Century Indian Art, Delhi Art Gallery (DAG), New Delhi, India
30 Apr 2022 to 22 Jul 2022
- Beyond The Beginning, Vadehra Art Gallery (D-40) New Delhi, India
28 Nov 2022 to 18 Dec 2022
- From Tantra To Tribal, Grosvenor Gallery, St. James's, London, UK
20 Oct 2022 to 28 Oct 2022
- Tantra on the Edge, Inspirations and Experiments in Twentieth Century Indian Art, Delhi Art Gallery, Mumbai, India
05 Aug 2022 to 06 Oct 2022
- Iconic - Masterpieces of Indian Modern Art, Delhi Art Gallery (DAG), Mumbai, India
20 Mar 2022 to 31 Jul 2022
- Lines (by)LInes\nAn Exploration of Linearity in South Asian Art from the 20th Century to Present, Dhoomimal Art Gallery, New Delhi, India
02 Apr 2022 to 15 May 2022
2023
- 27 Masters, Kumar Gallery, New Delhi, India
05 Feb 2023 to 05 May 2023
- Titans of Time, Tao Art Gallery, Mumbai, India
20 Apr 2023 to 15 May 2023
- Time Of The Line, Vadehra Art Gallery (D-40) New Delhi, India
02 May 2023 to 12 Jun 2023
- Out of Place: Journey's through Indian Art, JNAF, Mumbai, India
18 Oct 2023 to 19 Feb 2024
- The Patience of Ordinary Things, Vadehra Gallery, New Delhi, India
29 Aug 2023 to 07 Oct 2023
- Iconic: Masterpieces of Indian Modern Art Edition 03, Delhi Art Gallery (DAG), New Delhi, India
26 Nov 2023 to 16 Dec 2023
- Remembering, 60 Years of Gallery Chemould, Group Show, Chemould Prescott Road, Mumbai, India
31 Oct 2023 to 05 Nov 2023
- Notations on Time, Ishara Art Foundation, Al Quoz, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
18 Jan 2023 to 20 May 2023
- Raza & His Contemporaries : Seeking a Vital Form, Dhoomimal Gallery, New Delhi, India
07 Feb 2023 to 10 Mar 2023
2024
- Memory Fields, Gallery Espace, New Delhi, India
29 Nov 2024 to 12 Dec 2024
- The Imaginary Institution of India Art 1975–1998, Barbican Art Gallery, London, UK
05 Oct 2024 to 05 Jan 2025
- Iconic, Masterpieces of Indian Modern Art Edition 04, Delhi Art Gallery (DAG), New Delhi, India
21 Dec 2024 to 30 Jan 2025
Jehangir Art Gallery (Organiser). Thirty Indian Artists, 1985 | Group Exhibition Catalogue | 00883563
Chronicled Highlights
In 2004, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of Untitled (1993), offered in the Modern Indian Paintings: Winter Online Auction by Saffronart, which concluded on 02 December 2004 at Online, achieving a sale price of ₹21,76,875 ($49,228). This record marked a defining moment in the artist's market history, reflecting both the significance of the artwork and its reception within the broader art world.
Economics of Art
Record-high lots19
Public Auction Market (1987–2026) | Select Indicators
Annual Auction Sale Turnover
It aggregates all sales across global auction houses into yearly totals.
Analysis reflected in the chart:
The turnover graph highlights periods of strong growth, moments of market correction, and resilience during downturns. Peaks often align with landmark works coming to public auction, while troughs may indicate reduced supply or weaker demand. Over time, the curve illustrates the overall trajectory of J Swaminathan’s public auction market presence.
Average Sale Price Per Lot
It smooths out fluctuations caused by the quantity of works offered and focuses on the Average Sale Price level per artwork.
Analysis reflected in the chart:
Rising average sale prices indicate growing collector confidence and a stronger willingness to pay higher amounts per work. Assuming the mix of mediums remains relatively stable over time, the proportion of works on paper typically priced lower than works on canvas adds important context to understanding these market movements.
Square Inch Rate Trend
This allows fair comparisons between smaller works and larger canvases.
Analysis reflected in the chart:
The Square Inch Rate shown in the graph combines various medium types such as canvas, paper, board, and others. Historically, works on canvas and board have broadly commanded higher prices compared to works on paper.
1969
- National Award, Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi
1991
- Padma Shri, Government of India
Research Centre
Posts 1
- Tuli Research Centre for India Studies presents All Living Souls - Expressed in the Modern and Contemporary Fine & Popular Indian Arts Curated by Neville Tuli As part of launching the 16th Research Category for India Studies - "The Animal-Human-Nature-Continuum" we present a fascinating exhibition of modern and contemporary Indian fine and popular arts and their expression of the ideas and forms related to the dialogue between animals and humans, and the larger cosmic and spiritual thoughts which abide therein. Please visit the Exhibition and see the artworks by modern and contemporary masters such as Rabindranath Tagore, D.P. Roy Chowdhury, M.F. Husain, J. Swaminathan, J. Sultan Ali, Somnath Hore, Ganesh Pyne, Manjit Bawa, K. Laxma Goud, Krishna Reddy, Jyoti Bhatt, Rekha Rodwittiya, Amit Ambalal, among others, along with vintage and rare prints from the pioneering Indian chromolithographic presses such as Chitrashala, Ravi Varma, Calcutta Art Studio, Chore Bagan & Kansaripara.
Calendar 4
- ArchivedExhibitionProject 79All Living SoulsExpressed in Modern & Contemporary Fine and Popular Arts | Curated by Neville Tuli6th - 11th May 202610:30am - 7:30pmVisual Arts Gallery, India Habitat Centre, Lodhi Road, New Delhi - 110003
- ArchivedOpening PreviewProject 78All Living SoulsExpressed in Modern & Contemporary Fine and Popular Arts | Curated by Neville Tuli5th May 20266:00pm - 9:00pmVisual Arts Gallery, India Habitat Centre, Lodhi Road, New Delhi - 110003
- ArchivedExhibitionProject 5Self Discovery via Rediscovering India Series Part IV Building www.tuliresearchcentre.org20th - 23rd February 2025Self Discovery via Rediscovering India Series Part IVRead More →
- ArchivedExhibitionProject 1Self-Discovery via Rediscovering India Series Inaugural Exhibition14th - 29th March 2024Inaugural ExhibitionRead More →
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Themes
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