Description :

Laxman Pai (born in Margao, Goa) studied and taught at Sir J. J. School of Art, Bombay, later serving as principal of Goa College of Art for a decade. A participant in the Goa liberation and Gandhi’s Satyagraha movements, his art nonetheless celebrates life through vigorous, graphic impressions of simple themes, free from moral commentary. A contemporary of F. N. Souza, Pai drew inspiration from Goa’s landscapes, while his years in Paris shaped a distinctive style marked by angular simplification, flat pictorial surfaces, and lyrical line work. Influenced by Paul Klee, Marc Chagall, and Joan Miró, his paintings blend traditional Indian folk elements with modernist experimentation, often enriched by his engagement with classical music. Known for bright colors, structural lines, and diagrammatic figuration, Pai’s works embody an eclectic fusion of native spirit and modern art. Widely collected internationally, he twice won the Lalit Kala Akademi’s National Award and received both the Padma Shri and Goa government’s award.