MUMBAI
Bodies of the artist with her lawyer Harish Bhambani were recovered stuffed in cardboard boxes from a drain in Kandivali.
Famous artist Hema Upadhyay was murdered on December 12, 2015. The artist and her lawyer's body was found wrapped in plastic and stuffed in cardboard boxes which were recovered near a drain in Mumbai's Kandivali suburb.
In an interview with Initiart magazine, Hema said, "I don’t see myself as an Indian artist. I really look at myself as an artist. I know there are certain elements that come from my Indian background. But I know that there are many more elements in the future that are not about India. For example, this chandelier (below) made of matches. I don’t think it has any cultural identity."
The following are a few things you should know about Hema:
- Hema Hirani was born in Baroda in 1972 and has a Master's degree in painting from MS University in Baroda. She received National Scholarship from the Ministry of Human Resources.
- Hema is the recipient of Gujarat Lalit Kala Academy and the National Lalit Kala Academy for her work in the 10th International Triennale-India hosted in New Delhi.
- Hema married painter Chintan Upadhyay and moved to Mumbai in 1998. Her first solo exhibition, titled 'Sweet Sweat Memories', was showcased at Chemould Prescott road in Mumbai in 2001.
- Hema and her husband Chintan collaborated for several exhibitions. They worked together for a show called 'Parthenogenesis' at the Ivan Dougherty Gallery on the campus of the Australian University of New South Wales.
- Her work The Nymph and the Adult which was made of over 2000 lifelike sculptures of cockroaches was one her most popular works. The work drew fascination as well as repulsion from her viewers. In the interview with Initiart magazine, explaining her art 'The Nymph and the Adult' she says, "We invented the medium to destroy ourselves, and at the end, cockroaches might be the only survivors as they have a much higher tolerance to radiation."
Image Courtesy: Wikipedia
- Another powerful work by Hema was Sweet-Sweat Memories, which was an artwork made of paper works on display. This art was reportedly inspired by the suicide of one of her neighbours that created much confusion and portrayed how in an urban sprawl 'dreams and aspirations are both excited and forcefully repressed'.
Image Courtesy: www.aaa.org.hk
In her recent works she has also touched upon the themes of migration and displacement in South Asia, in 'Killing Site'.
Image Courtesy: Wikipedia
Her other important solo presentations were- Underneath (2004), Yours Sincerely (2008-09), Where the Bees Suck, there suck I (2009), Modernization (2011), Princesses Rusted Belt (2011-12) and Mute Migration (2012).
Princesses Rusted Belt (2011-12). Image Courtesy: Wikipedia
Dream A Wish, Wish A Dream. Image Courtesy: Wikipedia
8' x 12', 2009, installation, Indian Highway. Image Courtesy: Wikipedia
Hema was estranged from her husband Chintan Upadhyay, also a painter, and the couple was locked in bitter divorce proceedings since 2010. The Baroda born artist had in 2013 filed a case against Chintan, alleging he painted obscene pictures of women on the walls of their matrimonial home in Mumbai to harass her. Her lawyer, Harish Bhambani had represented Hema in the case. The lawyer's body was found dead with Hema's in the drain.
Raima Sen mourns Bharat Dev Varma's demise, pens emotional note for 'great father, great husband'
DNA TV Show: Ahead of Maharashtra poll results, MVA, Mahayuti engage in resort politics
Maharashtra: Stage set for assembly poll results; Mahayuti, MVA confident of their victories
All set for vote counting in Jharkhand tomorrow; NDA, JMM-led alliances confident of winning
Watch: Australia star inquires Rishabh Pant about his next IPL team, gets 2-word reply
Shah Rukh Khan’s house Mannat was first offered to his industry rival…, but he refused because...
The Visionary Who Promises a Blue Sky for India: Holger Thorsten Schubart’s G20 Climate Speech
The Surge of High-End Living: Luxury Residential Market to Outpace Other Segments
FeFCon 2024 to be Held in Bangalore: A Premier Event on Fever Management
'That’s wild': Noida man turns cigarette butts into teddy bears in viral video, watch
London Airport evacuates passengers over security threat, thousands stranded
The World’s First Innovative Iron Supplement to Combat Iron Deficiency and Anaemia
Meet grandmother who became fashion icon after trying on her granddaughter’s clothes
IND vs AUS: Rishabh Pant joins Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma in elite WTC list, becomes 3rd Indian to...
'All scripted drama...': Puneet Superstar allegedly assaulted by influencers in viral video, watch
Actress Ana de Armas caught kissing Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel’s son in viral photos
Oreshnik's Shadow: Will Russia's hypersonic missile force west to back down?
‘You’re So Beautiful’: World’s tallest woman meets world’s shortest woman over tea, pics go viral
Delhi-NCR Air Pollution: Consequences of GRAP-4 are drastic, may have adverse effects, says SC
Delhi-NCR Air Pollution: Schools likely to stay closed till..., check city-wise update
Maharashtra: 3 killed, 9 hospitalised after gas leak at fertiliser plant in Sangli
THIS farm is selling a cup of coffee for Rs 28000, but there's a twist, it is...
Chhattisgarh: 10 Maoists killed after encounter with security personnel in Sukma
Mukesh Ambani's SUPERHIT plan for Jio users, offers unlimited 5G access for 1 year for just Rs...
IND vs AUS 1st Test: KL Rahul's dismissal sparks DRS controversy in Perth Test
Dense fog, heavy rain predicted in these states till November 25; check here
Oreshnik Hypersonic Missile: Which nations are within its range?
Bihar teacher, principal reach school in drunken state; know what happened next
'I have faced a lot of...': Arjun Kapoor REVEALS his biggest fear amid break up with Malaika Arora
How millions of Indians may get affected due to US indictment of Gautam Adani in bribery case
Amid divorce rumours with Aishwarya Rai, Abhishek Bachchan says 'missing someone is okay but...'
After Bibles, watches and sneakers, Donald Trump is now selling autographed guitars, price is...
Delhi pollution: Air quality improves to ‘very poor’ category, AQI at...
Vladimir Putin's BIG threat, warns he could strike UK with new ballistic missile if...
Shillong Teer Results TODAY November 22, 2024 Live Updates: Check winning numbers here
Somebody misbehaved with Alia Bhatt on Highway sets then Imtiaz Ali had to...
Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal reveals twist behind Rs 200000 job fee, closes application window
Days after Ratan Tata's demise, Tata Group's Rs 131000 crore company inks pact with ADB for...