Babu Xavier, Spiritual Sports 4, 2006

Acrylic on canvas
120 x 120 cm
Condition: Very good

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Babu Xavier (Indian, b. 1960) was born in Kerala, India. He is a self-taught contemporary painter who developed an interest in art during his university years while studying for a science degree. Choosing to leave formal academic training, he pursued painting independently and later came into contact with senior artists connected to the Cholamandal Art Colony in Chennai, which helped shape his early artistic direction while maintaining his independence from formal art institutions.

Over the decades, Xavier has built a significant career in Indian contemporary art. He is known for his vivid use of colour and distinctive figurative imagery that often blends humans, animals, and symbolic elements drawn from nature, mythology, and the subconscious. His works have been exhibited widely across India and internationally, and he has held numerous solo exhibitions since the mid-1980s. He continues to live and work in Kerala and remains an influential figure in contemporary Indian painting.

Acquired from Sotheby's in 2007.

(Photographed in November 2025)