John Tun Sein

Born in 1957, John Tun Sein is an Indian painter whose contemplative practice is characterised by a deep engagement with colour, form, and the meditative possibilities of abstraction. He graduated with a Diploma in Painting from the Sir J. J. School of Art, Mumbai, in 1985, and was awarded a Lalit Kala Akademi Research Grant Scholarship in 1988–89.

Sein's paintings emerge from a process of quiet observation and introspection, privileging atmosphere and emotional resonance over narrative or representation. Working with layered colour fields and subtle compositional structures, he creates works that evoke a sense of stillness and contemplation. Rather than relying on recognisable symbols or imagery, his paintings encourage an intuitive engagement, inviting viewers to experience the emotional and sensory qualities of the canvas.

Throughout his career, Sein has remained committed to an experimental yet deeply personal artistic language. His practice reflects an ongoing exploration of perception, space, and the intangible rhythms of everyday existence, where light, movement, and silence become integral to the act of painting.

His work has been exhibited extensively in India and internationally, with solo exhibitions at institutions and galleries including Pundole Art Gallery, Apparao Galleries, Gallery Art Motif, Aicon Gallery, and Galerie Mueller & Plate. He has also participated in numerous group exhibitions across Europe and India, establishing himself as an important voice in contemporary Indian abstraction.