Gurmeet Marwah

(b. 1984, Delhi) approaches painting with a sharp sense of observation, wit and social irony. His works often begin with familiar images and situations, only to place them within unexpected contexts, creating a playful surface beneath which lie more pointed reflections on contemporary life.

Animals and everyday objects become recurring protagonists in his visual world. Cows, monkeys, birds, owls, balloons, bottles and kites are brought together in unusual encounters, their seemingly whimsical presence concealing observations about human behaviour, desire and social contradictions. His restrained compositions are frequently punctuated by vivid colour, lending the imagery both rhythm and emphasis.

Marwah studied commercial art at I.T.I. PUSA before completing his B.F.A. in Painting in 2009 and M.F.A. in Printmaking in 2011 from the College of Art, New Delhi. His multidisciplinary training has informed a practice that moves comfortably between painting, printmaking and, more recently, ceramic expression. What gives Marwah’s work its particular charm is the balance between humour and critique—the image draws the viewer in with its playfulness before revealing a more thoughtful undercurrent.