Two Disciplines.
One Practice.
No Pivot.
"Creating art transports me to a blissful state, to a place of perfect happiness, to nirvana if you will. My hope is that the art I create resonates in similar ways with my viewers."
— Vikash JhaBorn in India. Trained on Wall Street. Showing in Venice.
Vikash Jha was born in India and immigrated to the United States more than two decades ago, first as a management consultant. He spent over fifteen years working inside major Wall Street banks before becoming a boutique investment banker and entrepreneur — the role he still holds today.
He is also a contemporary abstract expressionist whose work has shown from Chelsea and Tribeca to Sotheby's, the World Trade Center, SCOPE Art Fair Miami, the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Cairo, and the Venice Biennale — culminating in his first Manhattan solo show, "Nirvana: My Journey Transcending Philosophies," at Saphira & Ventura Gallery on Fifth Avenue in May 2024.
These are not two chapters of a career. They are the same person, running both practices at the same time, on purpose.
Built on Markets
Over a decade and a half at major Wall Street banks, followed by advanced management programs at Harvard Business School and MIT. Today, a boutique investment banking practice run alongside the studio — not before it, not after it. Precision, risk calibration, and long-term value creation are the training. Every edition cap, every pricing decision, every collector relationship carries that same discipline.
Built on Intention
Formal fine arts education from India, more than two decades of practice, and a body of work now held in corporate collections and shown at Sotheby's, the World Trade Center, SCOPE Miami, Cairo, and the Venice Biennale. Contemporary abstract expressionism drawing on color, cross-cultural imagery, and philosophy — never decorative in the passive sense.
Never a Pivot. Always Both.
In His Own Words
The formal Artist Statement, and the reasoning behind why the studio exists the way it does — running alongside the finance practice rather than replacing it.
"When the ideas are not held within rigid boundaries, they achieve logical harmony through experimental and experiential freedom."
— Vikash Jha, Artist Statement"In my art practice I embrace colors, cross-cultural imageries and philosophies inspired by my upbringing in India and immigration to the United States. This, along with the multitude of techniques I have learnt through this journey, have given me the courage to dive into continuous examination, and the imagination to explore social, cultural and philosophical issues."
"I strive to be an intellectually curious artist, learning not only from my own changing thought processes and sensibilities, but also from the changing cultural, social and environmental landscapes around me."
"During the creative process, I invariably improvise on my original ideas, getting constantly excited about the unknowns in the process. Oftentimes this helps me achieve better outcomes than I could have otherwise achieved."
"Creating art transports me to a blissful state — to a place of perfect happiness, to nirvana if you will. My hope is that the art I create resonates in similar ways with my viewers, and transports them to a place of contemplation and meditation, evoking feelings of joy, exuberance, and awe."
Seven Series. One Continuous Inquiry.
Reviewed by the Critic Who Reviews Everyone.
In 2020, as part of a Penguin Random House contest tied to the release of his book "How to Be an Artist," Vikash's work was critiqued by Jerry Saltz — the Pulitzer Prize–winning Senior Art Critic for New York Magazine.
"I really think you know a fair amount about art. Great sense of color, internal light. Gets the viewer engaged from far and then draws them in... I think that if this is the least representative of your works, then you are in great shape. So keep working. Work, work, work!"
"Vikash is an extraordinary talent and we are very proud to present his first solo show in the heart of New York City. We have watched his works evolve in complexity, uniqueness and boldness in experimentation over the last several years. I have no doubt that his works will be widely received by the art-loving audiences in coming years."
— Alcinda Saphira, Curator & Co-Founder, Saphira & Ventura GalleryThe Same Person Who Manages Risk Manages Your Edition.
An artist who spent fifteen-plus years inside Wall Street banks thinks about edition size, pricing, and scarcity the way he thinks about a portfolio position — deliberately, and permanently. That is the entire premise behind every capped edition, every price point, and every collector relationship at Vikash Jha Studios.