Manali Jagtap

Artistic career

An award-winning graphic designer and fine artist in India, Manali Jagtap moved to the United Kingdom in 2001. In 2002, she collaborated with scientist Sarah Angliss to create a 70 minute projection for the Thinktank, Birmingham that celebrated 50 years of innovation in science and technology during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. The following year, she was part of the East Wing Collection, Courtauld Institute of Art. Jagtap’s paintings are abstract and deal with human dynamics. She works with mixed media and is not bound by any one topic or style.

Through Urban Guru Ltd., Jagtap engaged in creative projects related to social and political issues. She worked with the Forum on Early Warning and Early Response and International Conflict and Security Consulting Ltd. on projects aimed at sensitising audiences on the impacts of conflict. Since 2010, her political artwork has spanned the interconnection between the politics of identity and identity politics (He can read, he can write, and he can shoot at Deptford X), transference projects (The Wishing Thread at the Telegraph Hill Festival), human rights in story-telling (Gagado's Ancient Tales in collaboration with Burmese artist, Htein Lin), and the politics of food (The Mahatma Thal). Manali Jagtap is also the founder of Artraker, an organisation that helps shape and inspire through visual art how people and organisations understand, engage and respond to conflicts.

Education

Manali Jagtap completed her first degree at Sir J.J. Institute of Applied Art in Fine Art and Applied Art (BFAA) in 2000 and holds a Master of Arts in Arts and Politics from Goldsmiths, University of London in 2010.