Mainaz Bano is a well-known U.P trained and Lucknow based painter. She was born in 1987 in Lucknow U.P. and did both her Bachelors and Masters degree in Visual Arts (BVA) from the College of Arts & Crafts in Lucknow. Mainaz has received the State And National Award for her work and showcased her work at Exhibition Art Beijing Biennial, China. Delhi, Mumbai, Lucknow.
Steeped in the culture of Lucknow, the city of her birth and upbringing, her paintings are modern tales employing Awadhi motifs. Reminiscent of a Nawabi culture known for the coexistence of both Hindu and Muslim traditional motifs, her works juxtapose elements from the contemporary and the ancient and they come alive on the canvas similarly sans conflict. Her creative process is laborious; she designs and prints the background on paper or paints it on canvas then goes on to meticulously goldleaf selected elements. Space is treated like Indian miniatures; the flatness of plane broken only by the dimensionality and treatment of the elements in the foreground.
The most striking thing about Mainaz Bano’s paintings is space. Lots and lots of it. Not the Lucknowi chikankari that keeps popping up in odd places or the Nawabi remnants of an era that seems nostalgic at best—just lots of space.
“Life is congested,” says the 27-year-old. “So many things come up in our lives that we barely have time to breathe. I want people to have a sense of peace when they look at my paintings. Space gives us an impression of peace,” she says.
2010 Master of Fine Art (MFA) from College of Arts & Crafts, Lucknow, U.P.
2009 Bachelor of Visual Arts (BVA) Form College of Arts & Crafts, Lucknow, U.P.
2012 Aksh Art Gallery organized group show in Mumbai.
2012 Abhivyakti, all India Exhibition, Kala Neri, Jaipur.
2012 Dhoomimal Art Gallery, New Delhi.
2012 Art Nexxt, Lalit Kala Akademi Regional Center, New Delhi.
2011 College of Arts & Crafts from Lucknow University.
2010 "Abhivyakti-viii" All India Exhibition of Art, State Lalit Kala Akademi Lucknow.
2010 College of Arts & Crafts from Lucknow University.
2009 College of Arts & Crafts from Lucknow University.
2009 Group shows organized by "INTACH" at National Lalit Kala Centre in Lucknow .
2008Group Shows held at India Habitat Centre,New Delhi.
2008 Group Installation in film festival at Sangit Natya Kala Academy Lucknow.
2007 College of Arts & Crafts from Lucknow University.
2006 College of Arts & Crafts from Lucknow University.
2003-06 Summer course organized by State Lalit Kala Akademi.
2012 Painting is selected in 5th International Art Beijing Biennale, China.
2012 Painting is selected in AIFACS, New Delhi.
2012 1st All India Lalit Kala Academy, Bhubaneswar, Orissa,.
2012 30th, 29th, 28th Annual Art Exhibition of State Lalit Kala Akademi, Lucknow.
2008 Painting is selected in A.I.F.A. Award, Azamgarh .
10th, 8th, 7th Northern Regional Camel Art Foundation, New Delhi.
2012 State Award given by State Lalit Kala Akademi Lucknow on 30th Annual Art Exhibition.
2012 Merit Award given by Artscape Chandigarh.
2010 First award given by State Lalit Kala Akademi in Landscape & Nature competition.
2010 Prop. Madan lal Nagar Award by Abhivyakti Group.