Karaha studio is a medley of four distinct artists. Each brings a unique vantage point to the collective. These artists are fundamentally connected through shared concerns for art practice. They come from humble backgrounds and are rigorously trained in studio and literary culture.
Kavita Deshmukh
Artist | Co-founder | Entrepreneur
Kavita completed G.D. ART-Painting and DIP. in Art Education (Specialization - Print Making)
from Bharati Vidyapeeth College of Fine Arts and was amongst the very first batch when the college opened in Pune. Her career spans well over a decade and is witness to the gamut of academic and commercial art waves.
She plays many roles both in her professional and personal life. An artist, a peer, a business person, a mother, a mentor amongst several other. Her passion lies in painting and is thoroughly guided by function over form approach.
She believes that the best kind of art is the one which a person can wear on his/ her/ their skin and other objects of her art practice finds home in a person's little corner of the world. She also believes that the best place for paintings is 'fabric' wherein a person can be subsumed in its warm embrace. Her such approach towards art embodiment, many years ago encouraged her to start INDIAN BERRY - an apparel brand which specializes in making hand painted natural fabric and curates well crafted Indian weaves shirts, sarees, running fabric etc.
Her art practice steadfastly endorses simple joys of life. The team of Karaha studio believes that the greatest feat of her art practice lies in something much deeper than what meets the eyes. As an artist one has a rare privilege of life in which work and personal entirely intertwines.
Over the last fifteen years, her art practice has touched people from all walks of life and built a massive community of people. This community carries within it an intimate community of many young artists, whom she has supported, nurtured, guided and encouraged them to dare being-in-the-world.
She has extensively exhibited her works and generally her choice of exhibition places is not in private gallery but a stall kiosk in Art-mela. Her uncomplicated ways, power of simplicity and unwavering belief in hard work has taken her to many places and people including the President of Mauritius on whose invitation she had conducted workshops at the state house.
Lalit Dhanwe
Artist | Co-founder | Figurative Sculptor
Lalit is the young force of figurative art. He completed his GD Sculpture and modeling from Bharati Kala Mahavidyalaya, Pune. He further specialized in Figurative Sculpture from the world renowned Florence Academy of Art, Italy.
He lived his childhood in Aurangabad. Right from the very early years his aesthetic sense and philosophies were informed and influenced by the monumental works at Ajanta and Ellora caves. Due to such proximity to the canonical thought schools of contemplation, it was natural that the seeds of Darshan would bloom within him in the meditative environment of sculpture studio/s during his academic years.
What does it mean to "see" a human body? What profound transcendental truths could a mortal body reveal to the Seeker-artist (?)
Such approaches to the body are at the core of his art practice. While essentially seeking resolution to these concerns, he is also immensely inspired by the Italian Masters of Renaissance movement.
His art practice looks at the human body as an aperture through which widest duality of east and west becomes apparent and unite.
Coming back to India was always clear to him and it was this very urge - to bring western classical techniques to the Indian ways of mind, that Karaha studio was founded in the first place.
Prasad Modak
Artist | Co-Founder | Sculptor
Yabya Kewat
Artist | Co-Founder | Interactive Art