Dipali Meher, recipient of the Atal National Award for Art (2019), is a contemporary artist based in Mumbai, whose work explores black ink, enamels, and acrylics. Her style primarily encompasses ink wash, pen-and-ink, and mark-making, using subjects like bulls (ego), birds (freedom), and horses (progress) as metaphors for the self’s relationship with the universe and higher powers. Adding another dimension to her paintings is her unique ability to express the meanings of her paintings through poetic free verse. In 2023 she published a book of her free verse/ poems - “SOULitude”, which is available on Amazon. Born in Mumbai, Dipali Meher is a, Sir J. J. Institute of Applied Arts graduate (1996). Her 20-year career spans various fields, from illustrating for Indian Express and designing for Times Music to producing award-winning promos for Zoom and Times Now, as well as, working as a production designer for Govind Nihlani’s film "Deham." After exploring print and motion graphics, she found her true calling in fine arts, dedicating the last 12 years to mastering her current mediums.
Influenced by Japanese calligraphy, Buddhist and Vedic philosophy and her practice of Reiki, her creations are also inspired by mystical thinkers like Rumi and Kahlil Gibran. A workshop with Japanese calligrapher Ai Takaoka and the free-flowing style of Bangladeshi artist Shahabuddin Ahmed who Meher met at the Paris exhibition have also had a deep impact on her current work. Meher has exhibited in Mumbai, Delhi, Paris, and Dubai, with her works in collections across India, Australia, America, Dubai, and Indonesia.
