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'''Amar Kanwar''' was born in [[New Delhi]] in 1964 where he continues to live and work as a filmmaker. Kanwar studied at the Department of History, [[Ramjas College]], [[University of Delhi|Delhi University]] (1982-1985), and at the Mass Communication Research Center, [[Jamia Millia Islamia]], New Delhi (1985–87). After making a few films, Kanwar joined the [[People's Science Institute]] in 1988 as a researcher on occupational health and safety in the [[Coal mining|coal-mining]] belt of [[Madhya Pradesh]] in central India. He returned to [[filmmaking]] in 1990, and his films were then shown primarily in public campaigns, community spaces and film festivals in [[India]] and across the world. Kanwar's filmmaking practice challenges the limits of the medium in order to create complex narratives traversing several terrains such as labour and [[indigenous rights]], [[gender]], [[religious fundamentalism]] and [[ecology]]. In 2002, Kanwar was invited to exhibit at [[Documenta11|Documenta 11]] in Kassel whereupon his work has also been presented in several art exhibitions and museums. Connecting with diverse audiences, in multiple public spaces, Kanwar also participated in the next three editions of the Documenta exhibition in 2007, 2012 and 2017. He has been an eminent voice in film and art for the past two decades.{{citation needed|date=October 2018}}

== Key Works ==
His key works have been ''A Season Outside'', a reflective essay on [[violence]]; ''A Night of Prophecy'' on the poetry of [[Resistance movement|resistance]]; the multiple projection installations ''The Lightning Testimonies'' about [[sexual violence]] in public conflicts; and ''The Torn First Pages'' on the [[National League for Democracy|Burmese democracy movement]]. Kanwar's recent work, ''The Sovereign Forest'' (2012 – ongoing) is a profound interrogation of the politics of violence and [[justice]]. Initiating a creative response to our understanding of [[crime]], [[human rights]], and ecology, it engages viewers in manifold ways of seeing and comprehending as it presents a set of propositions that investigates the notion of "poetry as evidence."<ref>[https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_1Uwc8yJ3Doc2poRGV5ckg4ZEE/view "Art AsiaPacific 5 +1.pdf"].</ref>

== Awards ==
Kanwar has received several awards for his work as a filmmaker and artist, including the [[Prince Claus Fund|Prince Claus Award]], 2017; Golden Gate at the [[San Francisco Film Festival]] (1999); the Edvard Munch Award for Contemporary Art, Norway (2005);<ref>[http://www.e-flux.com/announcements/edward-munch-award-for-contemporary-art-2005/ "Edward Munch Award for Contemporary Art 2005 - Announcements - e-flux"]. ''www.e-flux.com''.</ref> and Leonore Annenberg Prize for Art and Social Change (2014).<ref>[http://www.e-flux.com/announcements/amar-kanwar-receives-the-2014-leonore-annenberg-prize-for-art-and-social-change/ "Amar Kanwar receives the 2014 Leonore Annenberg Prize For Art And Social Change - Announcements - e-flux"]. ''www.e-flux.com''.</ref> Other awards have been Best Public Service Short Film at Vatavaran International Environment Film Festival, New Delhi (2012); Best Film Award at One Billion Eyes Film Festival, Chennai (2011); Jury Special Mention at One Billion Eyes Film Festival, Chennai (2009); Honorary Doctorate in Fine Arts, [[Maine College of Art]], USA (2006); Certificate of Merit at San Francisco International Film Festival, California, USA (2002); Golden Tree Award at Vatavaran, National Environment & Wildlife Film Festival, New Delhi (2002); The Grand Prix, EnviroFilm, Slovak Republic (2002); National Jury Award at [[Mumbai International Film Festival]], India (2002); The First Prize at Torino International Environment Film Festival, Italy (2002); Jury's Award at Film South Asia, Kathmandu, Nepal (2001); [[MacArthur Fellows Program|MacArthur Fellowship]], India (2000); Golden Orange Award at 36th [[International Antalya Film Festival|Antalya International Film Festival]], Turkey (1999) and the Golden Conch Award at [[Mumbai International Film Festival]], India (1998).

== Exhibitions ==
Recent solo exhibitions of Kanwar's work have been held at the [[Tate Modern]], London (2018); [[Bildmuseet]], Umea University, Sweden (2017 - 2018);<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.expressen.se/kultur/har-gar-gruvorna-fore-manniskan/|title = NILS FORSBERG: Bildmuseet är skäl nog för en Umeåresa}}</ref> [[Goethe-Institut|Goethe Institut]]/Max Mueller Bhavan, Mumbai (2016)<ref>[http://www.goethe.de/ins/in/en/mum/ver.cfm?fuseaction=events.detail&event_id=20680576 "The Lightning Testimonies by Amar Kanwar - Goethe-Institut Indien"]. ''www.goethe.de''.</ref> and at the [[Assam State Museum]] in collaboration with [[Kiran Nadar Museum of Art]] and North East Network, India (2015).<ref>[http://www.northeastnetwork.org/the-lightning-testimonies-at-the-assam-state-museum/ "Short Film and Art Competitions – NEN"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160418002732/http://www.northeastnetwork.org/the-lightning-testimonies-at-the-assam-state-museum/ |date=18 April 2016 }}. ''www.northeastnetwork.org''.</ref> In 2013 and 2014 at the [[Art Institute of Chicago]], USA;<ref>[http://www.artic.edu/exhibition/amar-kanwar-lightning-testimonies "Amar Kanwar: The Lightning Testimonies | The Art Institute of Chicago"]. ''The Art Institute of Chicago''.</ref> the [[Yorkshire Sculpture Park]], U.K.;<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ysp.co.uk/exhibitions/amar-kanwar-the-sovereign-forest-other-stories|title = Amar Kanwar: The Sovereign Forest + Other Stories}}</ref> Thyssen-Bornemisza Art Contemporary (TBA 21), Vienna, Austria<ref>[https://www.tba21.org/#item--amar_the_sovereign_forest--540 "Thyssen-Bornemisza Art Contemporary"]. ''www.tba21.org''.</ref> and at the [[Fotomuseum Winterthur]], Switzerland (2012).<ref>[http://www.fotomuseum.ch/en/explore/exhibitions/21691_amar_kanwar_evidence "Amar Kanwar – Evidence - Exhibitions - Explore - Fotomuseum Winterthur"]. ''www.fotomuseum.ch''.</ref>

Recent group exhibitions have been presented at [[Documenta 14]], Athens and Kassel (2017); The Garden Sees, Megaron, Athens (2017); #Resist, Goethe-Gallery & Black Box Studio, Hong Kong (2017); the [[Frac des Pays de la Loire]], Carquefou (2016); the Devi Art Foundation with [[Salima Hashmi]], New Delhi (2016); MDE'15, Colombia (2015);<ref>[http://mde.org.co/mde15/es/invitados/artista/a/ "Invitado"]. ''MDE15''.</ref> [[Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum|Kemper Art Museum]], St. Louis, USA (2014); [[Kiran Nadar Museum of Art]], New Delhi, India (2014); 56th [[Carnegie International]], USA (2013);<ref>[http://ci13.cmoa.org/artists/amar-kanwar "Amar Kanwar | 2013 Carnegie International"]. ''ci13.cmoa.org''.</ref> [[Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum|Guggenheim Museum]], New York, USA (2013 and 2012);<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.guggenheim.org/new-york/exhibitions/past/exhibit/4376 |title=Archived copy |accessdate=2014-09-02 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140808055028/http://www.guggenheim.org/new-york/exhibitions/past/exhibit/4376 |archivedate=2014-08-08 }}</ref> 13th [[Istanbul Biennial]], Turkey (2013);<ref>[http://13b.iksv.org/en# "13th Istanbul biennial"]. ''13b.iksv.org''.</ref> 5th [[Moscow Biennale of Contemporary Art]], Russia (2013);<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://5th.moscowbiennale.ru/en/program/main_project.html |title=Archived copy |access-date=10 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160320103734/http://5th.moscowbiennale.ru/en/program/main_project.html |archive-date=20 March 2016 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref> 11th [[Sharjah Biennial|Sharjah Biennale]], UAE (2013);<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.sharjahart.org/people/people-by-alphabet/k/kanwar-amar |title=Archived copy |access-date=10 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140219054043/http://www.sharjahart.org/people/people-by-alphabet/k/kanwar-amar |archive-date=19 February 2014 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref> 1st Kochi Biennale, India (2013);<ref>[http://kochimuzirisbiennale.org/kmb2012-artists/ "Kochi-Muziris Biennale 2012 Artists - Kochi-Muziris Biennale 2018"].</ref> Tarra Warra Museum of Art, Victoria, Australia (2013)<ref>[http://www.twma.com.au/exhibition/animateinanimate/ "Animate / Inanimate"]. 6 August 2014.</ref> and the [[Bristol Museum]], U.K. (2013).<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://news.bristol.gov.uk/bristol-museum--art-gallery-presents-no-borders |title=Archived copy |access-date=10 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160423172523/http://news.bristol.gov.uk/bristol-museum--art-gallery-presents-no-borders |archive-date=23 April 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Kanwar has also participated in Documenta 11, 12 and 13 in [[Kassel]], Germany (2002, 2007, 2012).<ref>http://d13.documenta.de/#/participants/participants/amar-kanwar/ {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150306230259/http://d13.documenta.de/ |date=2015-03-06 }}</ref>

Other solo exhibitions have been at the [[Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam|Stedelijk Museum]], Amsterdam, Netherlands (2008);<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.stedelijk.nl/en/exhibitions/amar-kanwar-the-torn-first-pages-part-i |title=Archived copy |access-date=10 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160424023005/http://www.stedelijk.nl/en/exhibitions/amar-kanwar-the-torn-first-pages-part-i |archive-date=24 April 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> [[Haus der Kunst|Haus der Kundst]], Munich, Germany (2008);<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.hausderkunst.de/en/agenda/detail/amar-kanwar-the-torn-first-pages/|title = Calendar}}</ref> the [[Whitechapel Art Gallery]], London, U.K. (2007);<ref>[http://white.cyberporte.net/content.php?page_id=3524 "Whitechapel Art Gallery, London"]. ''white.cyberporte.net''.</ref> the [[National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design]], Oslo, Norway (2006) and the [[Renaissance Society]], Chicago, USA (2004).<ref>[http://www-news.uchicago.edu/releases/03/030110.amarkanwar.shtml "Renaissance Society presents Amar Kanwar"]. ''www-news.uchicago.edu''.</ref>

== Retrospectives ==
[[Retrospective]]s of his films have been held at [[film festival]]s including the 5th International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala, Kerala State (2012); the 13th Madurai International Documentary and Short Film Festival (2011); the Documentary Dream Show, Tokyo (2010); the Parallel Perspectives Film Festival, Hyderabad (2008); and the 9th International Short Film Festival, Bangladesh (2005).

== Selected works ==
*''The Sovereign Forest'' (2011-2015) which includes films ‘''A Love Story''’, (2010) and ‘''The Scene of Crime''’ (2011)
*''The Commons'' (2011)
*''The Torn First Pages'' Part I, II and III (2004-2008) which includes films '<nowiki/>''The Face''' (2004) ''‘Thet Win Aung’'' (2004) ''‘Ma Win Maw Oo’'' (2004) ''‘The Bodhi Tree’'' (2004) and ''‘Somewhere in May’'' (2005)
*''The Lightning Testimonies'' (2007)
*''Henningsvaer'' (2006)
*''To Remember'' (2003)
*''A Night of Prophecy'' (2002)
*''Azaadi/ Freedom'' (2002)
*''King of Dreams'' (2001)
*''Baphlimali 173'' (2001)
*''The Many Faces of Madness'' (2000)
*''A Season Outside'' (1997)
*''Marubhumi'' (1996)
*''Earth as Witness'' (1994)
*''Talash'' (1993)
*''The Leather Trilogy'' (1992)
*''Lal Hara Lehrake'' (1992)

==References==
{{Reflist}}
http://indianexpress.com/article/express-sunday-eye/amar-kanwar-5058699/

== Further reading ==
* The Sovereign Forest. Vienna and Berlin: Thyssen-Bornemisza Art Contemporary and Sternberg Press, 2015.[http://www.sternberg-press.com/index.php?pageId=1582&l=en&bookId=476&sort=]
*Evidence. Stahel, Urs and Daniela Janser. Göttingen: Steidl, 2012. [https://steidl.de/Books/Amar-Kanwar-Evidence-2933525455.html]
* Pal, Deepanjana. "Art Always Remembers," The Hindu, 25 February 2016. [http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/mumbai/art-always-remembers/article8278625.ece]
* Bailey, Stephanie. "On Sovereignty: Amar Kanwar in Conversation with Stephanie Bailey," Ibraaz Platform 008, December 2014. [http://www.ibraaz.org/interviews/141]
* Lissoni, Andrea. "The Inner Sound of Waiting," Mousse 42, February 2014.
* Terracciano, Emilia. "Amar Kanwar on the Disappearing Landscapes of ‘The Sovereign Forest’", December 2013 [http://www.blouinartinfo.com/news/story/993451/amar-kanwar-on-the-disappearing-landscapes-of-the-sovereign]
* Cotter, Holland. "Amar Kanwar," New York Times, 1 April 2010.[https://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/02/arts/design/02galleries.html?_r=2]
* Jhaveri, Shanay. "In Conversation," Marg, March 2010. [http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Amar+Kanwar+and+Shanay+Jhaveri.-a0249464313]
* Shrivastava, Aseem. "Lightning Rarely Leaves a Trace", 2007 [http://infochangeindia.org/film-forum/documentary/lightning-rarely-leaves-a-trace.html]

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[[Category:1964 births]]
[[Category:Indian documentary filmmakers]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from New Delhi]]

Amar Kanwar - Revision history

->Citation bot at 05:49, 20 September 2021