AKASH DAS
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Akashendu Das is a path-breaking figure in Indian Advertising. Popularly known as Akash Das he has won many prestigious awards and has been a pioneer in the art of visual communication and photography.
He is one of the most prolific and commercially successful photographers in India today with a vast and varied portfolio.
His exhibition on the photographs of Asian Elephants in their natural habitat is the first in the world that has been done on the subject. Named In Search of Asian Nudes, its unique stylization is a blend of art and wildlife photography and brings to life the intrinsic beauty and distinctive personality of the elephants. This treatment is evocative of the impeccably finished and intricately detailed etchings by the old masters.
Inevitably the photographs have attracted much international attention and acclaim. His work has been published in numerous magazines internationally as well as in India.
Being a sensitive socially conscious person, he works closely with WWF on wildlife conservation issues. He has long been involved in the promotion of tiger conservation, including the photography for a twelve-page calendar in celebration of the Year of the Tiger.
In a conservative country like India, his social awareness campaigns on bold subjects such as AIDS, homosexuality and adoption were challenging and remarkable; more so as they were promoted in the mid-eighties and the early nineties, when there was terrible stigma attached to these concerns.
He has many years of work experience with the top advertising agencies all over India. As a commercial photographer his approach has been a breakthrough and the demand for his work is exceptional.
His work as a fashion photographer has pioneered a complete change in the quality and perception of fashion photography in India today.
Akash is the only photographer whose black and white exhibition called 'In Search of Asian Nudes' got engraved in Limca Book of World Records as the first of its kind in the Art World.
Some of Akash's esteemed Clients: National Geographic, Incredible India, WWF, BBC London, Canon, Sandisk, Mecedes Benz, Gap, Suzuki, Hyundai, Honda, Incredible India, ONGC International, Casio, Seiko to name a few.
Akash is one of the brand ambassadors for Canon India and also the first Member of Sandisk Extreme Pro in India.
The autumn of 2012 will see his work showcased across renowned European Galleries Including Gallery De L'Europe, Paris. Flo Peters Gallery, Hamburg. Gallery Akie Archi, Paris.
This year he will also be traveling to Kenya and Tanzania to shoot African wildlife in their own terrain.
Some of the awards won:
- 1982: CAG Award for MCD - 'Keep Delhi Clean' B&W Campaign.
- 1986: CAG Award for ' Blue Lagoon' Campaign.
- 1987: CAG Award for 'Inter Shoppe' calender.
- 1987: Times of India Award for Times Eye Research Foundation Campaign.
- 1994: The Advertising Club Award, Bombay for Aids Campaign.
- 1994: The Advertising Club Award, Delhi for Aids Campaign.
- 1996: The Advertising Club Award, Bombay for D&A campaign.
- 1996: PIONEER Award for D&A campaign.
- 1997: A&M Award for Chelsea Campaign.
- 1997: PIONEER Award for Study By Janak Campaign.
- 1998: The Advertising Club Award, Bombay for Jindal Steel campaign.
- 1998: The Advertising Club Award, Bombay for Ambassador Campaign.
- 1998: The Advertising Club Award, Delhi for Ambassador Campaign.
- 1999: The Advertising Club Award, Bombay for CAVARA Adoption Campaign.
- 1999: PEAN Award CAVARA Adoption Campaign.
- 1986: The Advertising Club Award, Bombay for Nikey Tasha Laundrette.
- 1984: The Advertising Club Award, Bombay for USHA water coolers.
- 1998-99: PINACLE Award, DDB Needham World wide for 'HEN' weighing scale, Sanat Products.
- 1998-99: PINACLE Award, DDB Needham World wide for McDonalds 'Coke' Campaign.
- 1998-99: PINACLE Award, DDB Needham World wide for McDonalds Burger and Finger chips Campaign.
- 1998-99: PINACLE Award, DDB Needham World wide for Fritoley- 'Mehendi', 'Karwa Chauth' & 'Hawker' Campaign.
- 1996-97: PINACLE Award, DDB Needham World wide for Spirulina Campaign.
To name a few.....
The autumn of 2012 will see his work showcased across renowned European Galleries Including Gallery De L'Europe, Paris. Flo Peters Gallery, Hamburg. Gallery Akie Archi, Paris.
Solo Shows:
1. 2005 - Visual Arts Gallery, India Habitat Center, New Delhi. 65 black and white photographs of elephants were shown for two weeks. The media covered it extensively, and it was much appreciated by art and photography connoisseurs. The exhibition was also commercially very well received. It was the first time that such an exhibition, singularly dedicated to wildlife, was held in India.
2. 2005 - Akash was invited by an Art Gallery in Paris at Caravane 6, Rue Pavee to display his work from 3rd October to 31st December. The exhibition was accepted extremely well. It was written about and the photographs published by both the mainline and the specialist media.
3. 2006-2007 - From 3rd November 2006 to 3rd January 2007, the Sammer Gallery in Miami hosted an exclusive show of 65 large prints.
4. 2006 - The French Embassy in New Delhi showcased his solo works where celebrities from the Indian film and music industry also performed to raise money for the Cancer Society in New Delhi.
5. 2007 - Delhi University, hosted by St. Stephen's College, organized a lecture demonstration by Akash to create awareness about wildlife amongst students. They also held a week-long exhibition of his works.
6. 2008 - In June, the F Bar at the Ashok Hotel Delhi, in association with Fashion TV exclusively featured Akash's work in their felicitation programme 'Celebrity in Focus' for two weeks.
7. 2008 - 6th to 12th September, he released a book of his photographs and 45 art prints. This coincided with his solo show, 'Asian Nudes in the Jungle and Asian Nudes in the Urban Jungle', in the Visual Arts Gallery at the Habitat Center. 8. 2009 31st March to 15th May, he had an exclusive solo exhibition at Gallrie Akie Arichi, 26 Rue Keller 75011 Paris.The exhibition got such overwhelming response that the exhibition had to be extended by 2 weeks.
9. 2010 - The India International Center in Delhi exhibited 25 of his selected works at their annual festival.
10. 2011- 1st of May through June Ten on Ten Art, New Delhi is showcasing his 40 exclusive works of art.
