Sohan Qadri

Sohan Qadri (1932 - 2011) was an Indian artist, poet, and Tantric guru known for his spiritually infused, minimalist works. Born in India, he was initiated into yogic practice at the age of seven. In 1965, he left India, travelling through East Africa, North America, Paris, and Zurich before settling in Copenhagen. Qadri participated in over forty solo exhibitions globally, including in Bombay, Vienna, Brussels, London, Oslo, Stockholm, Montreal, Toronto, Los Angeles, and New York.

Qadri's work is deeply rooted in Tantric symbolism and philosophy, which he distilled into a modernist abstract language using vibrant colours. Initially painting in oil on canvas in the 1950s, he shifted to working on paper in the 1970s. His unique technique involved soaking paper in liquid, carving it in several stages, and applying inks and dyes. This process transformed the two-dimensional surface into a three-dimensional medium, with the repetitive incisions serving as a form of meditation.

Qadri's art is included in numerous prestigious collections, such as The British Museum in London, the Brooklyn Museum and The Rubin Museum of Art in New York, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Peabody Essex Museum, the Royal Ontario Museum, and the National Gallery of Modern Art in New Delhi. His works also feature in the private collections of Cirque du Soleil, Heinrich Böll, and Dr. Robert Thurman.

In 2011, Skira Editore published "Sohan Qadri: The Seer," a monograph featuring over eighty colour plates of his work. Sohan Qadri passed away in Toronto in 2011, leaving behind a legacy of integrating spirituality and art.