Artist Statement

I am fascinated with the allegorical relationship between the body, the environment and the universe. In analyzing seemingly opposite themes of abstraction vs reality, spiritual vs material, manifest vs unmanifest, my art-making explores the idea that empirical and intuitive disciplines share a united reality and are made up of the same constituent parts. My inventions convey ideas that are dream-like and personal and at the same time painfully real and universal. Some works are seemingly benign and exemplify the fragility and magnificence of creation. While others are problematic and disturbing, and draw attention to the lack of concern that we as individuals, as a nation and as a world have to this very same fragility: to our elemental fabric and the very basis of our existence, rendering us vulnerable and endangered. The illusion of invincibility is exposed. My work journeys through this contemporary anxiety hoping to facilitate reflection, question existing authoritarian structures and engender action.

Bio

Samanta Batra Mehta was born in New Delhi, India in 1975. She was raised in Bombay and moved to New York in 2003. Her artwork has been exhibited in both India and the US including at the Hacienda Art Gallery and Bodhi Art in Bombay and at the AIR Gallery, Guild Art Gallery, Abrons Art Centre and the Queens Museum in New York. Her work has been featured in the book: An Artist's Handbook: Materials and Techniques by Margaret Krug (Abrams Books, 2008). Samanta holds undergraduate and post-graduate degrees in Economics and Information Systems from the Bombay University, Bombay and the London School of Economics, London. She has attended classes in the Aesthetics of Indian Visual Art at the Bombay University, in Drawing and Painting at Central St. Martins, London and has studied traditional Byzantine Icon Painting at the Prosopon School of Iconology, New York. She served on the Board of the South Asian Women's' Creative Collective (SAWCC), New York, from 2006-2007. While on the Board at SAWCC, Samanta co-curated and produced- 'In a State of Emergency: Women, War & the Politics of Urban Survival', a group show in New York in 2006. Her work spans various media including traditional egg-tempera, ink on paper, photography, collage and installation. Samanta currently lives in Manhattan with her husband and son.

Education

• 2003 - 2006 PROSOPON SCHOOL OF ICONOLOGY
  Traditional Byzantine Icon Painting (in egg tempera)New York, NY
  
• 2000 - 2001 UNIVERITY OF BOMBAY
  Post Graduate Diploma- Aesthetics of Indian Visual Art Bombay, India
• 1997 - 1998 CENTRAL SAINT MARTINS COLLEGE OF ART & DESIGN
  Summer Studio Intensives Certificate Life Drawing, Painting London, UK
• 1997 - 1998 LONDON SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS & POLITICAL SCIENCE (LSE)
  Master of Science - Analysis, Design & Management of Information Systems
  Graduated with a First Class and top 10% of the class London, UK
• 1996 - 1997 Post Graduate Diploma in International Relations (World Politics)
  Graduated with a First Class; top 10% of the graduating class
• 1993 - 1996 ST. XAVIER'S COLLEGE
  Bachelor of Arts (Economics)
  Graduated with a First Class and Distinction; top 3% of the graduating class
  Awarded the Indian Governments' National Merit Scholarship in 1993 and 1995Bombay, India

Workshops

• March 2004 Photo-transfers with Miriam Schaer, The Lower Eastside Printshop NY
• April 2004 Manuscript Illumination & Gilding with Patricia Miranda, The Society of Gilders Port Chester, NY
• May 2005 Tempera- Technique & Theory with Ophrah Shemesh, Kremer Pigments New York, NY
  Spring 2005 'Meeting Artists Needs', Cue Art Foundation New York, NY
• Summer 2005 Stone Sculpture with Barbara Segal, School of Visual Arts New York, NY
• March 2006 Casein Painting with Margaret Krug New York, NY
• Summer 2006 Solarplate etching with Jason Watson, The Lower Eastside Printshop New York, NY
• October 2006 Advanced Egg Tempera Techniques with Patricia Miranda, The Society of Gilders New York, NY
  

Exhibitions

• December 2002 Kala Ghoda Annual Arts Festival Group Show at the Jehangir Art Gallery Bombay, India
• February 2003 Hacienda Art Gallery Bombay, India
• February 2006 Silent Auction, South Asian Women's Leadership Forum Congress New York, NY
• September 2006 Silent Auction, Your Dil Foundation New York, NY
• October 2006 '(Ad)dress' Group Show with the Gaia Art Collective curated by Doris Cacoilo Hoboken, NJ
• November 2006 Co-curated & produced- 'In a State of Emergency: Women, War & the Politics of Urban New York, NY Survival'; a group show featuring nine artists working in 'new' visual media
  
• June 2007 'Wish you were here' Group show at A.I.R Art Gallery New York, NY
  
• August 2007 'The Insider', 7 person show, Bodhi Art Gallery Bombay, India
  
• October 2007 South Asian Women's Creative Collective 10th Anniversary Curated Auction New York, NY
  
• December 2007 'Night of 1000 Drawings' Benefit Group Show, Artists Space New York, NY
  
• February 2008 AIR Gallery, 'Generations XI', small works show New York, NY
  
• March 2008 'Suckers and Biters' curated by Krista Madsen and Jeff White New York, NY
  
• February 2008 AIR Gallery, 'Generations XI', small works show New York, NY
  
• March 2008 'Suckers and Biters' curated by Krista Madsen and Jeff White New York, NY
  
• March 2008 Erasing Borders 2008 curated by Vijay Kumar, Tabla Rasa Gallery Brooklyn, NY
  
• April 2008 Erasing Borders 2008 continues at Guild Art Gallery New York, NY
  
• May 2008 Erasing Borders 2008 continues at Manhattanville College Art Gallery Purchase, NY
  
• June 2008 Erasing Borders 2008 continues at the Hammond Museum North Salem, NY
  
• August 2008 SAWCC Annual Visual Art Show 'Rods and Cones' curated by Radhika Subramaniam & Natasha Bissonauth, Abrons Art Centre New York, NY
  
• October 2008 Erasing Borders 2008 continues at the Queens Museum Queens, NY
  
• October 2008 South Asian Women's Creative Collective 10th Anniversary Curated Auction New York, NY

Invitations

• Spring 2006 Invited to present work to members of the South Asian Women's Creative Collective New York, NY
• Summer 2006 Invited to advanced drawing & painting sessions with artist author Margaret Krug; my work featured extensively in Ms Krug's book: 'An Artists Handbook: Materials and Techniques' (Published by: Abrams Books 2008) New York, NY

Affiliations

• SOUTH ASIAN WOMEN'S CREATIVE COLLECTIVE (SAWCC)
  Board Member 2006 - 2007
  

Publications

• Times of India, 1996; Inside Outside Magazine, 2000; Book by Margaret Krug, 2008