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Francis Newton Souza Biography
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Born in 1924 in Saligao, Goa, Souza was pursuing an art education at the Sir J.J School of Art before he was expelled in 1942 for taking part in the 'Quit India' freedom movement. He then went on to found the Progressive Artists' Group in 1947 along with fellow artists, leading the edge of the Indian modernist art movement. In 1949 he left for London where after a few years of struggle he began to make a mark on the art scene.
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In the 1950's Souza shot to fame with his one-man show at Gallery One in London, which is also when his autobiographical essay 'Nirvana of a Maggot' was published. He was awarded the John Moore Prize at the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool in 1957 and received the Italian Government Scholarship in 1960 and in 1959 his autobiography 'Words and Line' was first published. In 1967 he migrated to New York where he received the Guggenheim International Award.
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Along with several solo exhibitions in London he was invited to exhibit at the Institute of Contemporary Arts, London and the Venice Biennale-1954; Guggenheim Foundation, New York-1967; 'Commonwealth Artists of Fame', London-1977; 'India : Myth and Reality - Aspects of Modern Indian Art', Museum of Modern Art, Oxford and Festival of India, Royal Academy of Art, London-1982; 'Modern Indian Painting', Hirschhorn Museum, Washington D.C.-1982. Retrospective exhibitions of his work were organized by Art Heritage Gallery, Delhi-1986 and 1996. He also participated in the work-live program in Los Angeles, California hosted by Saffronart in 2001.
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Souza passed away in Mumbai in 2002
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| Selected Exhibitions |
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2002
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Souza in Bombay and Goa, Art Musings Gallery, Bombay
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2001
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Souza: A Modern Myth, Gallery 88, Calcutta
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1999
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Copeland Fine Art Gallery, OH
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1998
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Bose Pacia Modern, New York, NY
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1997
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Souza: a retrospective, Hartnoll's Gallery, London
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1996
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The Acrylics of Souza, L.T.G. Art Gallery, New Delhi
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1995
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The Chemicals of Souza, L.T.G. Art Gallery, New Delhi
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1994
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Dhoomimal Gallery, Delhi
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1985
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East-West Visual Arts Encounter, Bombay
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1982
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Festival of Indian Exhibits, Museum of Modern art, Oxford
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1972
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Minneapolis International Art Festival
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