VIjay Belgave

Born in Latur, in Maharashtra, Belgave has a diploma in Drawing & Painting and one in Art Education from the Sir J.J. School of Art, Mumbai. Belgave has been greatly inspired by the simplicity of the rural life in his hometown, especially by its sensitive but strong women. Vijay Belgave’s art revolves around the theme of love and the pain of unfulfilled expectations. The love could be between a man and a woman, between two sisters or between a mother and a child. His paintings have wide expanses of blank space, the surfaces of which have innovative textures. A few abstract forms weave their way through this surface. The stylised figures eloquently convey the theme of love, through their subtle yet expressive gestures. Many of Belgave’s canvases are framed in raw wooden frames, made out of the window and doorframes of houses in his hometown of Latur. He has had several shows of his works in Mumbai. Belgave is the recipients of numerous awards, including the Best Painter from the Chitrakala Mahavidyalaya in Latur, in 1992, a Merit Certificate from the Mudra Kalaniketan, Vashi, New Bombay, in 1995, and the Salaam Mumbai Prize from the Sir J.J. School of Art, Mumbai, also in 1995. The artist lives and works in Mumbai.