"Devayani Krishna's introspection did not demand the use of socially relevant comments or the figurative idiom...Her printmaking journey reflected a rare feminine attempt to fuse the ancient symbolism of various religions with the contemporary demand of self-awareness and its scientific inclination."
Devayani Krishna studied art at Indore under D.D. Deolalikar, before obtaining her diploma in the fine arts from the Sir J.J. School of Art in Mumbai. In 1942 she married the artist Kanwal Krishna, with whom she traveled through Sikkim, the Tibetan border, and the North-West Frontier Province. In 1954 she joined Delhi's Modern School, retiring in 1977 as Head of the Art Department.
Primarily a painter and print-maker, Krishna also researched Indian folk motifs, toys, and batik work. In her best-known series, Krishna created a set of prints portraying the name of Allah in calligraphic Arabic characters. In her other works, whatever the medium, she plays with sacred signs and symbols, creating conceptual works responding to universal themes of religion, family and war.
"Devayani Krishna's introspection did not demand the use of socially relevant comments or the figurative idiom...Her printmaking journey reflected a rare feminine attempt to fuse the ancient symbolism of various religions with the contemporary demand of self-awareness and its scientific inclination."
Devayani Krishna studied art at...