Lokesh Khodke

Born in 1979 Lokesh Khodke obtained a B.F.A in painting, 2002 and a M.F.A in painting in 2004 from the Faculty of Fine Arts, Maharaja Sayajirao University,Baroda.He has been a recipient of Nasreen Mohammedi Scholarship, Baroda and received Gold medal of excellence in Visual Arts, M.S.U. Baroda, 2004.

“To begin with, over the course of my practice as a painter, I have come to realize that the way in which we live our lives or confront its various dimensions definitely reflects in our work. Speaking of myself, I feel that life around me has created several questions within me, and with time these queries have led to an unknown discomfort regarding my own complacent notions about life and language of art itself.

What then becomes a compelling area of interest in my work is the question of space and the inter/contradictory relationship with object, time and people. Within my work I try to address this area both at a subjective as well as formal level. Another issue that has come up again and again while exploring this area is space and the complex power relationships that go with it, an issue that I feel needs to be addressed genuinely in contemporary times. As an artist what becomes a challenge for me is how to look at the marginalized spaces within this power struggle which have, over time, been pushed to the background through a process of homogenization which is increasingly becoming an integral part of our society.

I cannot claim that the present set of works do justice to what I say, yet for me it's a beginning which will open up other possibilities. “

- Lokesh Khodke.

Lokesh Khodke  recent participations include 2008: ‘Through a glass darkly: Reflections on the self-portrait’,The Guild, Mumbai; ‘Representations-3’, Triva Contemporary Art Gallery, Trivandrum; ‘Interlude- Venice/Kassel’, The Guild, Mumbai; ‘The aura art show’, Aura Art gallery, Mumbai. 2007: ‘ After Images’, a group show curated by Ranjit Contractor, Faculty of Fine Arts Gallery, Baroda; ‘Points of reference’, Art& Soul gallery; ‘Beyond Credos’, a show curated by Prof. Shivji Panikkar, Birla art Academy Kolkata; Tangerine art space, Chitrakala Parishad , Bangalore

He has done Illustration for children’s books under ‘Different Tales’, a project by Anveshi, He has participated in various camps, 2007: Art camp, Venice- Kassel( Germany), 2007: Art Camp, Spain, 2006: ‘Illustrators’ workshop’, Tata group & Eklavya pub., Bhopal, 2006:‘ Setu’, Artists camp, Guwahati, Assam, 2005: Workshop with Painters/ sculptors , Panchmadhi (M.P.)