Sadanand Bakre

Sadanand Bakre, born in Baroda in 1920, is regarded as a pioneer among Indian modernists. Bakre obtained a diploma in modelling and stone carving from Sir J. J. School of Art, Bombay. In 1947, along with his friend F. N. Souza, Bakre founded the Progressive Artists’ Group, which was joined by S. H. Raza, K. H. Ara, H. A. Gade, and M. F. Husain, as founder members.

Like many of his generation, Bakre's development as an artist followed the trajectory of moving from academic realism to abstraction, in his paintings as well as his sculptures. From "spiky forms," he had, by the late ’60s, moved to more simplified forms with a growing interest in structure. Bakre held focus on the human form by transforming it through distortion, fragmentation, and partial elimination. His canvases were executed in a sculptural manner depicting geometrical grids and abstracted human forms in a two-dimensional pattern. The bold and bright colours highlighted the contrast of straight and curved lines.

Bakre died in Ratnagiri district in 2007.

Academics

Joined Civil Aviation Flying School, Government of India, Saharanpur (1945)

Diploma in Modeling and Stone Carving, Sir J.J School of Art, Mumbai (1944) 

Sir J. J School of Art, Mumbai (1939) 

Awards

Certificate in Sculpture, Bombay Art Society, Mumbai in 1950

Best Sculpture, President Cowasji Jehangir Prize, Bombay Art Society, Mumbai in  1950

Best Sculpture, His Highness The Princess of Berar Cash Prize, Hyderabad Art Society, Hyderabad in 1949

Silver Medal, Hyderabad Art Society, Hyderabad in 1949 

First Cash Prize, Best Portrait, Hyderabad Art Society, Hyderabad in 1949

Best Work in Oil Painting, Late Rustom Sodio Memorial Cash Prize, Bombay Art Society, Mumbai in 1948 

Best Work in Sculpture, Silver Medal, Bombay Art Society, Mumbai in 1948

President Sir Cowasji Jehangir Cash Prize in Sculpture, Bombay Art Society, Mumbai in 1948 

Cash Prize, Bombay Art Society, Mumbai in 1947 

Professor O.V.Mulller Memorial Cash Prize, Bombay  Art Society, Mumbai in 1944

Lord Harding’s Scholarship in 1943 

Lord Mayo Gold Medal, Sir J.J School of Art, Mumbai in 1943

His Highness .The Raja Saheb of Bhore’s Cash Prize in Sculpture, Bombay Art Society, Mumbai in 1942

His Highness The Maharaja of Bhavnagar’s Cash Prize in Sculpyure, Bombay Art Society, Mumbai in 1942

Bronze Medal in Sculpture, Kolhapur Art Society, Kolhapur in 1942 

Sir Cowasji Jehangir First Prize in Sculpture, Bombay Art Society, Mumbai in 1941

Certificate in Sculpture, Bombay Art Society, Mumbai in 1940

Two Scholarships, Sir J.J School of Art, Mumbai in 1940

His Highness The Maharaja of Bhavnagar’s Cash Prize in Sculpture, Bombay Art Society, Mumbai in 1939