Gigi Scaria

Gigi Scaria is an Indian multimedia artist focused on video art and sculpture. He has garnered recognition for his works that serve as poignant commentaries on urban development, migration, and the juxtaposition of individuality and collective identity. 

Biography of Gigi Scaria

Gigi Scaria was born in 1973 in Kothanalloor, a village in southern Kerala, India. His artistic journey began after completing a Bachelor's degree in fine arts from the College of Fine Arts in Thiruvananthapuram in 1995. Fueling his passion for creativity, he ventured to New Delhi, where he pursued a Master's degree in arts at Jamia Millia Islamia. During the mid-1990s, while laying the foundation for his professional career as an artist, Scaria also illustrated children's books and taught art at an experimental school in New Delhi.

By 2000, Saha experienced heightened international exposure, leading to prestigious residency opportunities and solo exhibitions in India, Germany, America, Hungary, the Republic of Korea, and the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.

Scaria's noteworthy group participations include the Ishara Art Foundation, Dubai, the 54th Venice Biennale, the Prague Biennale and 3rd Singapore Biennale, the Oz Asia Festival Exhibition, and the Kochi Muziris Biennale, among others. 

In 2017, his major solo exhibition was held at Aicon Gallery in New York. He has also featured his work in several solo shows and independent installations, including Gallery Chemould, Mumbai; Vadehra Art Gallery, New Delhi; Videospace Budapest; the Smart Museum of Art, the University of Chicago; and Laumeier Sculpture Park, St. Louis, USA, among others.

The artist lives and works in Delhi.

Gigi Scaria's Art Style

Throughout his career, Scaria delved into various mediums and approaches, ultimately establishing himself as a sculptor and video artist who skillfully incorporated photography and installations into his creations.

At the core of Gigi Scaria's artistic vision lies a profound exploration of urbanization and its material and philosophical issues, drawing from his personal experiences of alienation, displacement, and prejudice after transitioning from a small town to the bustling metropolis of Delhi. With keen insight, he accentuates the physical aspects of urbanization, as seen in architecture, urban planning, and bustling construction sites, all of which influence its inhabitants.

Scaria's perceptive gaze extends beyond mere aesthetics, for he contemplates the profound societal impacts of urbanization on its dwellers. Scaria perceives modern cities as environments characterized by social hierarchies, where progress is often linked to expansion, and short-term gains and material wealth are prioritized over a sustainable future. In addition to his explorations of urban social dynamics, he has delved into the impact of large cities on ecology.