Akbar Padamsee
Modernist painter known for his heads, nudes and metascapes
- Lived
- 91 yrs
- 1928 – 2020
- Works listed
- 2
- Painting
- Honours
- 1
- Most recent 2010
- Profile views
- 1
- 0 followers
Akbar Padamsee was a modernist painter who explored the human figure, landscape and colour through series such as his grey works and “metascapes”. Associated with the Progressive Artists’ Group, he lived for long periods in Paris. He died in 2020.
Biography
Paris
Akbar Padamsee studied at the Sir J. J. School of Art in Bombay and moved to Paris in 1951 with S. H. Raza. He exhibited there and remained connected with French art circles for decades.
A landmark case
In 1954 a painting of lovers by him was seized by Bombay police as obscene. He fought the case in court and was acquitted, a landmark for artistic freedom in India.
Series
He worked in series: monochrome grey paintings in the 1960s, then the vividly coloured metascapes — imagined landscapes structured by colour and geometry — as well as heads, nudes and mirror images. He also made films and photographs and wrote about art.
Honours
He received the Padma Bhushan in 2010 and died in Coimbatore on 6 January 2020.
Timeline
-
1928
Born in Bombay, Bombay Presidency (now Mumbai)
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1951
Moves to Paris
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1954
Acquitted in obscenity case
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2010
Padma Bhushan
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2020
Dies in Coimbatore
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2020
Died, aged 91
Notable works
-
—
Grey series Painting
1960s.
-
—
Metascapes Painting
Awards and honours
-
Padma Bhushan
2010
Did you know?
-
1
He won a court case over the seizure of his painting in 1954.
-
2
He moved to Paris with S. H. Raza.
-
3
He called his imagined landscapes “metascapes”.
Connections
Related people
-
S. H. Raza
Art & Design · Painter known for the bindu and a founder of the Progressive Artists’ Group
Moved to Paris with him
-
Tyeb Mehta
Art & Design · Modernist painter known for his falling figures and diagonals
Fellow modernist
-
V. S. Gaitonde
Art & Design · Abstract painter regarded as India’s greatest non-objective artist
Fellow modernist
Frequently asked
Who is Akbar Padamsee?
Akbar Padamsee was a modernist painter who explored the human figure, landscape and colour through series such as his grey works and “metascapes”. Associated with the Progressive Artists’ Group, he lived for long periods in Paris. He died in 2020.
When did Akbar Padamsee die?
Akbar Padamsee died on 6 January 2020 at the age of 91.
Where is Akbar Padamsee from?
Akbar Padamsee was born in Bombay, Bombay Presidency (now Mumbai).
What is Akbar Padamsee known for?
Akbar Padamsee is best known for Metascapes; grey paintings; association with the Progressive Artists’ Group.
What awards has Akbar Padamsee received?
Notable honours include Padma Bhushan (2010).
References
- Akbar Padamsee — Wikipedia. Wikipedia. Retrieved 2 November 2026.
- Akbar Padamsee — Invaluable artist page. Invaluable. Retrieved 2 November 2026.
- Akbar Padamsee (Q4700434) — structured data. Wikidata. Retrieved 2 November 2026.
Includes material from the Wikipedia article “Akbar Padamsee”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. That text is available under the same licence. Learn more
External links
About this profile
- Researched by the TrackFame editorial team; reviewed by Sanjay Sokal under our editorial policy
- First published 2 November 2026
- Last updated
Cite this page
“Akbar Padamsee.” TrackFame, last updated 3 November 2026. https://trackfame.com/person/akbar-padamsee
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