Bio
Sharmistha Ray is an artist, writer, and educator based in Brooklyn, New York. She was formerly Managing Director at Bodhi Art (Mumbai, New Delhi, New York, Berlin, and Singapore), the inaugural Sales Director – Asia at Hauser & Wirth, and VIP Representative – India at Art Basel. Sharmistha’s work has been exhibited in galleries and art fairs in New York, Singapore, Hong Kong, Mumbai and New Delhi. Solo exhibitions include “we are all islands” (Nine Fish, Mumbai & Mill Hall, Kochi, India), “Reflections & Transformations” (Aicon, New York), and “hidden geographies” (Galerie Mirchandani + Steinruecke, Mumbai, India).
She is the recipient of notable awards including a TED Fellowship (2009), Montblanc Young Artist Worldwide Patronage Award (2012), Joan Mitchell MFA Grant (2004), and was nominated for the Civitella Ranieri Fellowship for Visual Art (2014). Her writings have been published in various online and print magazines including Art Asia Pacific, Hyperallergic, Artcritical, Art India and the India editions of Vogue and Elle. Sharmistha has spoken on several art-based panels, including Review Panel at the Brooklyn Public Library, NY; at the Goethe-Institut/Max Mueller Bhavan, Mumbai; and CSMVS (Prince of Wales Museum), Mumbai, among others.
Sharmistha gave a TED Talk in Vancouver, Canada in 2013, and spoke at SXSW on a panel about women and entrepreneurship in Austin, Texas, in 2019. She is frequently invited to artists’ residencies and art colleges as a visiting artist and critic. Some of these have included the Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts, New York, NY; Flux Factory, Queens, NY; The Wassaic Project, NY; Piramal Art Residency, Mumbai; and What About Art?, Mumbai. She received a BA (Art) from Williams College and a dual degree MS (History of Art & Design) and MFA (Painting) from Pratt Institute, with honors.
She is currently Part-Time Faculty at Parsons School of Design in the Fine Arts Department, and also works in development at the CUE Art Foundation, a city-based non-profit that supports emerging and under-represented artists, writers, and curators, and runs educational programming for New York City students.
Education
2001-2005 Dual degree: M.S. History of Art & Design/M.F.A. Painting, Pratt Institute, New York
1997-2001 B.A. Art, Williams College, Williamstown, Mass. (cum laude)
Solo exhibitions and projects
2017
we are all islands 2, Mill Hall, Kochi, India
2016
we are all islands, Nine Fish Art Gallery, Mumbai, India
2015
On the Seashore of Endless Worlds, Kala Ghoda Arts Festival, Mumbai, India
2014
Sweet Surrender: Studies in Abstraction, Galerie Steph, Singapore
2013
Reflections + Transformations, Aicon Gallery, New York, USA
2012
hidden geographies, Galerie Mirchandani + Steinruecke, Mumbai, India
2004
Crossroads, M.F.A. Thesis Exhibition, Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, New York, USA
1998
Queer Series, Wilde Gallery, Williams College, Williamstown, USA
Selected Group exhibitions
2016
Studio Picks, The Loft at Lower Parel. Mumbai, India
2016
Art for Concern Annual Charity Exhibition & Auction, Mumbai, India
2015
Sparsh/Tactile, Kala Ghoda Arts Festival, Mumbai, India
2015
The 377191 Wall: A New Window to Understanding, Gallery Beyond, Mumbai, India
2015
Reviving the Retinal, Gallery OED, Kochi, India. Curated by Dr. Kathleen Wyma
2015
India Art Fair, 7th Edition, New Delhi, India
2014
Cursory Glances, Curated by WAA, Palladium Mall, Mumbai, India
2014
Asia Contemporary Art Show, Hong Kong
2014
Noir/Blanc, The Loft at Lower Parel, Mumbai, India
2013
Touched by Bhupen, Galerie Mirchandani + Steinruecke, Mumbai, India
2013
Vikhroli Skins, an initiative by Godrej India Culture Lab, Mumbai, India
2013
OUT/OFF: Out of the gallery and off the walls, Chameleon Art Projects, Mumbai, India
2013
India Art Fair, 5th Edition, New Delhi, India
2012
Open Studios, Space 118, Mumbai, India
2012
Museum of Memories, Godrej India Culture Lab, Mumbai, India
2012
Mumbai Galleries Weekend, sponsored by Citibank, Mumbai, India
2010
Hope for Haiti-India Cares, Grand Hyatt, Mumbai, India
2007
In-si-der, Bodhi Art, Mumbai, India. Curated by Sonal Singh and Brinda Kumar
2006
Joan Mitchell M.F.A. Grant Recipients, CUE Art Foundation, New York, USA
2004
Territories, Aicon Gallery, New York, USA. Curated by South Asian Women’s Creative Collective
2004
CAC Juried Exhibition, Contemporary Artists Center, North Adams, USA. Jurors: Mike Glier and Jenny Holzer
2004
Explorations/Innovations, Kingsborough Community College, New York, USA
2004
2004 Annual Pratt MFA Exhibition, Pratt Manhattan Gallery, New York, USA
2004
Grand Group Show, Danny Simmons Corridor Gallery, Brooklyn, New York, USA
2004
Drawing Show, Parsons Institute, New York, USA
2004
MFAs Colliding, New York University, New York, USA
2002
Extreme Existence, Schafler Gallery, Pratt Institute, New York, USA
2002
9/11: Artists Respond, Schafler Gallery, Pratt Institute, New York, USA
2000
B.A. Thesis Exhibition, Williams College Museum of Art, Williamstown, USA
2000
Berkshire Artisans Association Juried Show, Lichtenstein Art Center, Pittsfield, USA
Awards and recognition
2014
Civitella Ranieri Fellowship, Visual Arts, Nominee, Italy
2013
L’Oreal Paris Femina Women Awards, Nominee, Artist of the Year, India
2012
Montblanc Young Artist World Patronage Award, Germany
2009
TED Fellowship, USA
2005
Pratt Circle Award for Outstanding Academic Achievement, Pratt Institute, USA
2005
Certificate of Excellence Award for Outstanding Merit in Graduate Fine Arts, Pratt Institute, USA
2005
Certificate of Excellence Award for Outstanding Merit in Graduate Art History, Pratt Institute, USA
2004
Joan Mitchell M.F.A. Grant, $10,000 Cash Award, USA
2000
cum laude, Dean’s List (four times), Williams College, USA
2000
Berkshire Artisans Association Fellowship, USA
2000
Class 1960 Scholars in Art, Williams College, USA
1998
BiGLaTA Fellowship, $2,500 Cash Award, Williams College, USA