RAGINI UPADHAYAY
(Artist/Printmaker)
Former Chancellor, Nepal Academy of Fine Arts (2014-2018) Nepal’s First Woman Chancellor at Art Academy
President, Shivata Love Foundation, Nepal https://shivata-love.org
Member, BP Koirala India-Nepal Foundation (BPKF)
Former President, Women Artists’ Group of Nepal (WAGON)
Former Director, Artist Proof Gallery, Nepal.
Web: www.ragini-art.com
Email: ragini_art@me.com
EDUCATION
1982 Graduated in Fine Arts from Lucknow College of Arts and Crafts, Lucknow, India
1983-8 Studied the Print’s Techniques at the Artist Corner-Lalit Kala Academy, Garhi, New Delhi, India
1987: Peacock Printmaker, Aberdeen, Scotland, fellowship sponsored by the British Council
1989: Kunst Academy, Stuttgart, sponsored by Deutsch-Nepaleschen Hilfsgemeinschaft E.V., Stuttgart, Germany
PROFESSIONAL APPOINTMENTS
1992 Guest artist at the Radier Werkstadt, Kampen Sylt, Germany
1998 Presentation on Women Issue Paintings Goddess and Women at Kulturmagasinet Museum, Helsingborg, Sweden
1999 Talk program on Ragini Art at Kulturmagasinet Museum, Helsingborg, Sweden
2011 Presentation on Ragini Art at National Council of Art (NCA), Islamabad, Pakistan
2012 Workshop presentation on Nepali Paper on etching at Rawalpindi College of Art, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
2013 Presentation on Work Series People’s Power on Nepal Day at R. Joest, Museum Köln, Germany
2014 Nepal First Woman Chancellor of Nepalese Fine Arts Academy.
2019 Presentation on Challenges for Women Artists in South Asia at Viacom Center for Contemporary Art, Vietnam.
2020. Video presentation on Ragini Art at Suzhou Library, Suzhou , China.
2022 Presentation on topic of Challenges for Women Artists in South Asia at Bridge Water University, USA
2022 Art Talk at Daniel High School, Madison (Connecticut, USA )
2022 Presentation on Nature Speaks by Ragini at Poppenhusen Institute, College Point, New York.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
1979 National Association of Fine Arts, Kathmandu, Nepal in the presence of late poet Bal Krishna Sama
1980 Royal Nepal Airlines, Kathmandu, Nepal
1981 October Gallery, Vajra Hotel, Kathmandu, Nepal
1981 Fine Art Academy of Lucknow, India, inaugurated by Late Nepalese Prime Minister B.P. Koirala
1982 Morya Hotel, Patna, India
1983 Fine Art Academy of India, Ravindra Bhawan, New Delhi, sponsored by the Nepalese Embassy in India
1985 October Gallery in Vajra Hotel, Kathmandu, Nepal
1986 National Association of Fine Arts, Kathmandu, inaugurated by Her Majesty the Queen Aishwarya of Nepal
1987 October Gallery at Vajra Hotel, Kathmandu, Nepal
1988 British Council Hall, Kathmandu, Nepal, inaugurated by the Late Prime Minister Mr. Marich Man Singh
1989 Deutsch-Nepaleschen Hilfsgemeinschaft e.v., Stuttgart, Germany
1990 Goethe Institute Hall, Guests of Honor the Consul of Nepal in Frankfurt and late Mrs. Busak
1990 Goethe Institute Hall, sponsored by Goethe Institute, Schwäbisch Hall, Germany
1991 Goethe Institute, Kathmandu, Nepal, inaugurated by the Late Prime Minister Mr. Krishna Prasad Bhattarai
1991 Shimba Gallery, Tokushima, Japan
1991 Ujuka Gallery, Naruto, Japan
1992 Hananj Restaurant and gallery, Kamojima, Japan
1992 British Council Hall, sponsored by British Council, Kathmandu, Nepal
1992 Galerie Art du Temps, Verviers, Belgium
1992 Galerie Eglau, Radier Werkstadt, Kampen, Germany
1994 Politics, Dust and Love French Cultural Centre, sponsored by French Cultural Centre, Kathmandu, Nepal.
1994 Galerie Eglau, Radier Werkstadt, Kampen, Germany
1994 Gallery Gamlastan, Helsingborg, Sweden
1995 The Myths of Politics, National Fine Art Association, Kathmandu, Nepal
1995 Gallery S, Eupen, Belgium
1996 Windows Gallery Joelle, Turku, Finland
1996 Majmua Art Gallery, Karachi, Pakistan
1997 Goddesses and Women, Mythology and Reality Goethe Institute, Kathmandu, Nepal
1997 Grand Hotel, Taipei, Taiwan, as part of the YWCA World Meeting on Violence Against Women
1998 Goddesses and Women, Mythology and Reality Gallery Oljemark, Helsinki, Finland
1998 Gallery Harmaja, Oulu, Finland, sponsored by the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs
1999 Sensitive Women Siddhartha Art Gallery, Kathmandu, Nepal
1999 Sensitive Women Gallery Bellange, Atelier, Stockholm, Sweden
2001 Ragini’s Odyssey 2001, Siddhartha Art Gallery, Kathmandu, Nepal –, inaugurated by her Majesty the Queen Aishwarya of Nepal
2001Studio am Schloss, Berlin, Germany
2001 Atelier I.S., Eupen, Belgium, inaugurated by H.E. Kedar Bhakta Shrestha, Ambassador of Nepal to the EU
2002 The Sun Never Dies, Buddha Lights and Truth Shines, Siddhartha Art Gallery, Kathmandu, Nepal
2002 Bilderwand Manufacture (Culture House), Schorndorf, Germany
2002 Centrum Kultury 1 Język NIemieckiego, Zielona Gora, Poland
2003 The Sun Never Dies, Buddha Lights and Truth Shine Culture Hall, Organized by Rotary Club, Halle, Belgium
2004 Time Wheel at Siddhartha Art Gallery, Kathmandu, Nepal
2005 Time Wheel at Academy of Fine Art and Literature, New Delhi, India
2006 Time Wheel , ICCR Hall, Hyderabad, Sponsored by Indian Council for Cultural Relations
2006 People’s Power National Association of Fine Arts Gallery. Kathmandu, Nepal Inaugurated by Former Deputy Prime Minister KP Oli
2007 Sound of Love, Majmua Art Gallery, Karachi Pakistan
2007 Sound of Love Art Shop, Kathmandu, Nepal
2007 People’s Power Culture House (Manufaktur) Shorndorf, Germany
2008 Venetian Multiveral Academy, Vienna, Austria
2009 Love in the Air Siddhartha Art Gallery, Kathmandu, Nepal
2009 Love in the Air Gallery Riddaren, Stockholm, Sweden
2010 Gaijatra Nepal Siddhartha Art Gallery, Kathmandu, Nepal
2010 Love in the Air exhibition at Gallery 919, Karachi, Pakistan
2011 Nature Speaks, Museum Art Gallery, Organized by The Gaekward Art Foundation, Mumbai, India
2012 Nature Speaks Solace International Designs, Kathmandu, Nepal
2013 Nature Speaks Studio am Schloss, Berlin, Germany
2013 Seamer, Teppicharchitektur, Munich, Germany
2014 Preserve Nature for Our Future Culture Council, Chaudfontaine, Belgium
2014 Atelier I.S., Walhom, Belgium
2016 Wang Xiaohui Art Museum, Suzhou, China
2017 From Heart solo at Xiaohui Art Museum, China
2018 Atelier I.S., Walhorn, Belgium
2018 Heart to Hearts Solo exhibition at Xianghai Temple, Tongxiang, Jiaxin, Zhejiang, China
2019 Love revisited Exhibition at Kathmandu Gallery, open by Ms. Veronica Cordy, Ambassador of European Union in Nepal
2020 From Heart, Solo exhibition at C. C. Gallery, Shanghai, China
2020 From Heart, Solo exhibition at Private company Tang, Suzhou, China
2020 Online solo art exhibition at Gallery 6, Islamabad, Pakistan
2020 Skye Gallery, Province, Rhode Island, USA
2022 Maxwell Library, Bridge water University, USA
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
1985 Nepal Association of Fine Arts (NAFA), Naxal, Kathmandu, Nepal
1986 Nepal Association of Fine Arts (NAFA), Naxal, Kathmandu, Nepal
1988 Nepal Association of Fine Arts (NAFA), Naxal, Kathmandu, Nepal
1999 Patan Museum, Lalitpur, Nepal, International Women Artists Exhibition – Women A Commitment
2002 Siddhartha Art Gallery, Kathmandu, Nepal – Made in Jankpur- A Mithila Yatra
2003 Siddhartha Art Gallery, Kathmandu, Nepal – Himalayan Expression 2003
2007 Art Shop, Kathmandu, Nepal, Organized by Women Artists Group of Nepal – Shakti
2007 Siddhartha Art Gallery, Kathmandu, Nepal, Sponsored by BP Koirala India-Nepal Foundation – Ek Raat
2008 Siddhartha Art Gallery, Kathmandu, Nepal
2008 Siddhartha Art Gallery, Kathmandu, Nepal, Double Vision Group Exhibition
2008 Imago Dei Cage Gallery, Gairidhara – Workshop organized by Women Artist Group of Nepal (WAGON)
2010 Artist Proof, Lalitpur, Nepal – Contemporary Nepalese Printmakers
2010 Siddartha Art Gallery, Kathmandu, Nepal – Celebrating Line
2013 Artist Proof, Lalitpur, Nepal, Sponsored by BP Koirala India Nepal Foundation- Search for Ethics
2014 Park Gallery, Lalitpur, Nepal – Emergence of Nepali Modern Art 1960-80 AD
2014 Park Gallery, Lalitpur, Nepal, Sponsored by BP Koirala India-Nepal Foundation – BP Ko Samjhana ma
2014 Imageark, Patan, Nepal – Paribartan Sochma: Understanding Gender
2014 National Exhibition of Fine Art at Nepal Academy of Fine Art, NAFA , Nepal
2015 National Exhibition of Fine Art at Art Council, Organized by Nepal Academy of Fine Art , Nepal
2016 National Exhibition of Fine Art at Art Council, Organized by Nepal Academy of Fine Art, Nepal
2017 National Exhibition of Fine Art at Art Council, Organized by Nepal Academy of Fine Art, Nepal
2017 Art for Nature, Chitwan, Nepal
2017 Art workshop, Organized by Kalawati Art Council, Gairakote, Nepal
2018 National Exhibition of Fine Art at Art Council, Organized by Nepal Academy of Fine Art, Nepal
2019 National Exhibition of Fine Art, Organized by Nepal Academy of Fine Art, NAFA, Nepal
2020 Awadhi Art Promotion exhibition for girl child education at Art Council, Nepal, Organized by SLFN
2021 In My Dream Exhibition organized by Shivata Love Foundation to support In My Dream Education Project of SLFN, Nepal
2021 Art Exhibition on Gandhi Jayani, Organized by Shivata Love Foundation and BP Koirala India- Nepal Foundation, Nepal
2021 National Exhibition of Fine Art at Nepal Academy of Fine Art, NAFA, Nepal
INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITIONS PARTICIPATION
1979 College of Arts and Crafts, Lucknow, India
1980 Birla Academy of Art and Culture, Calcutta, India
1980 Madras, India
1980 Srinagar, India
1982 Lalit Kala Academy, Lucknow, India
1983 International Biennial, Lubjiana (Ex-Yugoslavia)
1983 International Print Graphic Exhibition, New Delhi, India
1983 International Asian Biennial, Dhaka, Bangladesh
1986 British International Print Biennial, Cardwright Hall, Bradford, England
1988 Hananj Gallery, Tokoshima, Japan
1990 Arijiano, Italy
1991 Osaka Triennial, Japan
1992 Luxembourg
1992 Liège, Belgium
1994 Atelier I.S. Gallery, Eupen, Belgium
1995 Lahti Museum, Lahti, Finland-Nepal Group Exhibition Aesthetics in Practice Conference
1996 Lahti University Hall, Lahti, Finland
2003 Habiart Gallery, New Delhi, India, Organized by Siddhartha Art Gallery – Himalayan Expression 2003
2007 Gallery Open Eye, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK – Double Vision Group Exhibition
2008 Jamshoro School of Art and Design Gallery, Pakistan
2008 Kunste Centrum, Haarlem, Holland – Double Vision Group Exhibition
2009 Siddartha Art Gallery, International Art Exhibition – Separating Myth from Reality Status of Women
2010 London, UK, Organized by Siddhartha Art Gallery
2010 Artist proof Gallery, Antwerp, Belgium – Double Vision Group Exhibition
2011 Gallery 6. Islamabad, Pakistan
2013 Strang Gallery, Islamabad, Pakistan – Double Vision Group Exhibition
2012 Neerja Modi Art Centre, Jaipur, India
2012 Gorakhpur Fine Art Faculty, Gorakhpur, India
2014 Artist proof Gallery, Antwerp, Belgium – Exhibition 60/60
2015 Atelier IS, Walhorn, Belgium to support the Flood Victims of Nepal.
2015 Beijing Library, Organized by Ministry of Culture, China
2016 International Art Exhibition, Darbhanga Palace, Varanasi, India, Organized by Art beyond the border.
2017 Korea-Nepal International Art Exchange Exhibition, titled “Draw the Himalayas”, Korea
2019 Group exhibition End of the Night at Newstead Railway Art Hubs Gallery, Newstead, Australia
2019 Group exhibition End of the Night at Mrs Harris ‘s Shop, Adelaide, Australia
2019 Nepal Art Now at Welt Museum, Vienna, Austria.
2019 Fine Artworks of Representative Asian Artists, Organized by Ministry of Culture, Hanoi, Vietnam.
2020 Living Gallery, New York
2021 International Creative Collaboration for Tolerance and Peace online exhibition, organized by Turkish Airlines
ATTENDED WORKSHOPS
2002 Dholaka, Nepal, sponsored by Nepal Academy Organized by Lalit Kala Academy
2006 Hyderabad, India, SAARC Countries Artists Workshop on Golden Jubilee of Lalit Kala Academy
2006 Mandala, Organized by Women Artists Group of Nepal
2007 Jaisalmeir, Rajsthan, SAARC Countries Artists Workshop Organized by Indian Council for Cultural Relations and SEHER Organization
2007 Fine Art Faculty Hall, Benaras, India, with Indian Artists – Ek Raat organized by BPKF
2008 Nagpokhari, Kathmandu, Organized by Women Artists Group of Nepal – Shakti
2008 Darjeeling, India, Nepali Sahitya Sansthan, BP Ko Samjhanama organized by BPKF
2009 Nepal Art Council, Organized by Women Artists’ Group of Nepal to Support Flood Victims
2011 Maiti Nepal, Kathmandu
2012 Dhulikhel, Nepal, Search for Ethics organized by Women Artists’ Group of Nepal (WAGON) sponsored by BPKF
2012 Neerja Modi Art Centre, Jaipur, India International Art Workshop
2014 International Workshop, Dhampus, Nepal, organized by Nepal Academy of Fine Arts
2015 China Workshop, organized by Chengdu Art Academy, China
2015 China Workshop, organized by the Ministry of Culture, China.
2016 International Workshop, Lumbini, Nepal, organized by Nepal Academy of Fine Arts
2016 International Workshop, Janakpur, Nepal, organized by B.P. Koirala Foundation, Nepal.
2016 International Art Workshop, Benaras, India, organized by Art Beyond the Border.
2017 Pokhara Art Workshop, organized by Nepal Academy of Fine Art
2018 Pokhara Art Workshop, Organized by Nepal Academy of Fine Art
2018 1st SAARC International Workshop, organized by Nepal Academy of Fine Art, Nepal.
2018 International SAARC workshop, organized by SAARC and Ministry of Culture , Nepal.
2020 Awadhi Art Promotion for girl child education at Kalilwashtu, Nepal, Organized by SLFN
2020 Gandhi Jayani 2020, organized by Shivata Love Foundation, Nepal.
2021 International Art Workshop for Tulsi Bhawan Museum, Ayodhya , India
PRIZES AND AWARDS
1979 National Exhibition Prize, Nepal
1985 National Exhibition Prize, Nepal
1988 National Exhibition Prize, Nepal
1986 Kate and Robert Wilson Prize, Bradford Museum, UK
2002 Birendra Ashwarya Memorial Medal, Kathmandu, Nepal
2005 50 Most Influential Women Of Nepal Award by The Boss, Magazine, Kathmandu, Nepal
2010 Sankalpa Samman, Sankalpa Nepal Welfare Society, Kathmandu, Nepal
2011 Best Student Award In 100 Years Of Lucknow College Of Arts And Crafts, Lucknow
2013 Toran Kumari, Kala Sanskriti Award, Kathmandu, Nepal
2013 Senior Artist Honor Award, Nepal Commercial Artist Association of Nepal, Kathmandu, Nepal
2014 Bhadra Kumari Sewa Sadan Award, Nepal
2016 Sahamati Award for social work, Nepal
2019 Honorary Life Membership of U.P. Art Circle, Lucknow, India
2019 Glapeb Awards 2019 Artist of the Year from Bharat Nirman Foundation, India
2019 Shabdayatra Mahila Pratibha (Woman Talent Award 2078 ) Banepa, Nepal
2020 Arnika Lalit Kala Samman Award 2078 – Shree Lunkarandas-Ganga Devi Chaudhary Academy for Art and Literature
2022 Extraordinary Individual Honor from Lumbini Peace Forum for creating history as the first woman chancellor of Nepal
PRESENT IN OFFICIAL COLLECTIONS
Bradford Museum U.K., Fukuoka Asian Art Museum (Japan), SAARC Building (Kathmandu, Nepal), Tribhuvan University (Kathmandu, Nepal), Tribhuvan Airport (VVIP Room, Kathmandu, Nepal), Nepal Television Office (Kathmandu, Nepal),Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Kathmandu, Nepal), Ministry of Culture (Kathmandu, Nepal), World Bank (Kathmandu, Nepal), Danish Embassy (Kathmandu, Nepal), PM House (Kathmandu, Nepal), and other Government Offices (Kathmandu, Nepal), Fine Art Academy (Lucknow, India), King Birendra Art Gallery Museum (Kathmandu, Nepal), Lalit Kala Center, Lucknow, India .Tulsi Bhawan, Ayodhhaya, India, Indian Embassy, Nepal. World Bank Museum, Head Office, U.S.A., Culture Ministry, Beijing, China.
PRESENT IN PRIVATE COLLECTIONS
Australia, Austria, Belgium, Greece, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Netherlands, China, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Poland, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, Switzerland, UK, USA.
VISITED COUNTRIES
Austria, Australia, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Netherlands, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, Portugal, UK, USA.