Shihab Vaippipadath

Shihab Vaippipadath graduated in Fine Arts (Painting, Printmaking, and New Media) from India in 1998, following his first degree in Mathematics. From 2000 to 2007, he studied at the Academy of Fine Arts, Karlsruhe, Germany, where he completed his degree and postgraduate studies in Visual Arts with excellent results. Additionally, in 2012, he conducted research at the Freie Universität Berlin in Germany, and in 2023, he earned an MRes in Art and Design from Cardiff Metropolitan University.

Between 2013 and 2017, he worked at the University of Sharjah as a lecturer and Visiting Academic in the Foundation, Fine Arts, Graphic Design, and History of Art Departments.

He is based in the UK, Germany, India, and the UAE. Influenced by German Expressionism, he is also actively involved in German contemporary art in Berlin. Over the last five years, he has worked as an artist, academic, and curator across Europe and the Middle East.

Shihab practices various techniques in his artworks, including oil, acrylic, and mixed media in painting, as well as lithography, etching, and woodcut in printmaking, in addition to clay and ceramics.

He has participated in several solo and group exhibitions and has won many awards. Moreover, he has been selected for residencies in different countries in Europe and the Middle East.

Since 2022, he has been living in the UK and pursuing a PhD in Art and Design at Cardiff Metropolitan University.

  • Product Manager (Fine arts products)
    Al Lamsa Al Fannya LLc, Sharjah, UAE
    April 2018 – Aug 2022
  • Lecturer (Fine Art | History of Art)
    University of Sharjah | UAE Sep 2016 – Aug 2017
  • Art Teacher (Fine Art | Design)
    Art Teacher | Arab Unity School |UAE | British curriculum (Cambridge IGCSE)
    Sep 2015 – Aug 2016
  • Lecturer (Fine Art | History of Art)
    University of Sharjah | UAE Jan 2013 – Aug 2015
  • Director | Artist | Curator
    Artry Art Gallery | Dubai | UAE April 2014 – Aug 2022

Solo exhibition (selected)

2024               Drawing Exhibition at Cardiff Metropolitan University, Cardiff, UK.
2018                Walter Horing Art Gallery, Munich, drawing and painting, Germany.
2016                Turn Berlin Gallery, Berlin, (drawing and illustration) Germany.
2012                Long night of science at the Freie University, Berlin, (action painting)
2009                Exhibition of paintings, graphics and drawing trick film at the Indian Embassy, Berlin.
2007                Exhibition of paintings and graphics at the public school Schwetzingen.
2006                Exhibition of paintings, graphics and drawing trick film “A single digital line” at the town hall in Schwetzingen.
2005                Exhibition of drawing trick film “A single digital line” at the State library, Karlsruhe.
2005                Exhibition of Illustrations of Friedrich Schiller´s Ballads at the Villa Meixner, Brühl.

Group exhibition (selected)

2019                Artry art gallery, Dubai, UAE.
2018                Art CRU gallery, Berlin, Germany.
2017                Faculty annual show at CFAD, University of Sharjah, UAE.
2016                India, Museum für zeitgenössische Kunst – Diether Kunerth, Ottobeuren, Germany.
2015                Upcycled Art Festival, Art Hub at Liwa, UAE.
2015                Camel festival, Art Hub at Liwa, UAE.
2014                Out of Box, Artry Art Gallery, Dubai, UAE.
2012                7th Berlin Biennale, Berlin, Germany.
2012                Kunstrasen Open Air Art 2012, Buchen, Odenwald, Germany.
2012                Writing and Reading (exhibited 200 drawings), at the contemporary art museum, Crete, Greece.
2011                Fintax 1500, Grimm Museum, Berlin, (drawing and painting) Germany.
2011                Exhibition at Siena Art Institute, Siena, Italy.
2010                ARTmART 10, Künstlerhaus, Vienna, (drawing and painting) Austria.
2010                State Gallery Offenburg, (drawing and drawing trick film) Germany.
2009                Indian Art Forum, International Art Exhibition, Galerie station/ Künstlerhaus,
2009                Mousonturm Frankfurt, (drawing and drawing trick film) Germany.
2009                Turn Berlin Gallery, Berlin, (drawing and painting) Germany.
2008                Selected for the ARTmART 08, Künstlerhaus, Vienna, Austria, (drawing and painting).
2008                Selected for Ist Open art residency, Greece, (drawing, painting, and digital drawing trick film).
2008                Selected for the workshop “Conflict Zone Theatre Asylum”, Berlin, (drawing, painting, and digital drawing trick film).
2008                Selected for the exhibition “Creative writing in and Land art” Karlsruhe, (drawing and painting).
2007                Selected for the 2nd OW Art market Buchen“, Odenwald, (drawing, painting and digital drawing trick film).
2007                Kunsthalle, Mannheim and Kunstverein Marburg, (drawing, painting and digital drawingtrick film).
2006                Selected for the 16th Karlsruhe Artist fair, Karlsruhe, (digital drawing trick film).
2006                Selected for the 1st Odenwald Art market and exhibition in “Bezirksmuseum, Buchen“, Odenwald, (drawing, painting and digital drawing trick film) Germany.
2005                “People”, at the State Library, Karlsruhe (drawing, painting and digital drawing trick film) Germany.

Award/Scholarship/Jury

2021                Jury, selection of graduation works at university of in Sharjah, UAE.
2020                Jury, selection of graduation works at university of in Sharjah, UAE.
2017                Jury, national painting competition for young artist in Sharjah, UAE.
2016                Jury, national painting competition for young artist in Sharjah, UAE.
2015                Printmaking Award from 25th Kunstrasen Karlsruhe Artist fair, Germany.
2011                 Best Graphic Award from Kunstrasen Open Air Art 2012, Buchen, Odenwald, Germany.
2008                Selected for the Ist Open art residency, Greece, (painting and digital drawing trick film).
2006                Scholarship for the graduate students, State Academy of Fine Arts, Karlsruhe, Germany.
2006                Special critic award, 16th Karlsruhe Artist fair, Karlsruhe, (digital drawing trick film).

Workshop

2018                Dubai Drawings (landscape drawing) location, Um al Quwein, UAE.
2016                Dubai Drawings, Art Hub at Liwa, UAE.
2015                Residency, Upcycled Art Festival, Art Hub at Liwa, UAE.
2014                Residency, Camel Festival, Art Hub at Liwa, UAE.
2013                Workshop “Art*ry” Art gallery in Al Wasel Studio, Dubai, UAE (drawing, painting, and new media).
2013                Organized seminar in Dubai with renowned Emirati artist Mohammed Kazem, Italian artist and curator Cristiana de Marchi, and Indian artist Bose Krishnamachari.
2012                “Gajendramoksha, South Indian mural paintings” at the department of South Asian Art History at Freie University, Berlin, Germany.
2012                “Kavati; an explanation of its structure and form”, South Indian ritual art form at the department of South Asian Art History at Freie University, Berlin, Germany.
2011                “Indian elements in modern German art”, at the department of South Asian Art History at Freie University, Berlin, Germany.
2010                Workshop “Fabulous world of drawings” in the Museum of Offenburg, Germany (drawing and digital drawing trick film).
2008                Workshop “Open art residency” in Greece (drawing, painting, and digital drawing trick film).
2008                Workshop “Conflict zone art asylum” in the Tacheles, the Cultural Centre, Berlin (drawing, digital drawing trick film, and audio/video editing).

Publication, Text and Interview

2024                Portfolio, Art and Design.
2018                Illustration of traditional life and culture of Emirati in Dubai and their transformation through economic development and modernization.
2012                “Kavati; an explanation of its structure and form” Seminar at FU, Berlin.
2012                “Gajendramoksha, South Indian mural paintings” Seminar at FU, Berlin.
2011                “Indian elements in modern German art”, Seminar at FU, Berlin.
2009                “Stains and shadows of the strokes”, Speech in the Embassy of India, Berlin.
2007                Artist Interview, Dialogue with Mrs. Gundula Sprenger, VHS, Schwetzingen.
2007                “The happening behind the strokes”, by Dr. Barbara Brähler, Cultural Consultant of the town Schwetzingen, Rathaus Schwetzingen.

Collections of my Paintings, Graphics and new Media

State Gallery Karlsruhe, Germany, Museum of Offenburg, Germany, Museum of Schwetzingen, Germany, State Museum of Berlin, Germany, Siena Art Institute, Italy, Italy and private collections in Germany, UK, Austria, France, Italy, Greece, Japan and India.