Ascension

Arpana Caur started painting in oils at a very early age. Her family moved from West Pakistan to India in 1947. She drew her inspiration from her mother, Arjeet Caur, who was a well-known author. She was also inspired by the artist Amrita Shergil. She had her first exhibition at the age of nine.

Caur's engagement with issues and people translates onto her canvases. For instance, her paintings inspired by Vrindavan widows and the 1984 Sikh riots depict her concern with social issues and human conflict.

Indian miniature paintings influenced her brushstrokes and compositions. She often uses scissors, rulers and bones as stark repetitive motifs. Her works are exhibited in Victoria Albert Museum, Kolkata and The Rockefeller Foundation, New York.