This exhibition brings together a dynamic group of contemporary artists whose practices explore the complexities of identity, culture, memory, and transformation. Through a wide range of mediums—including painting, sculpture, installation, and mixed media—each artist presents a unique perspective on the intersection of personal histories and broader societal narratives. From the meditative abstractions of Shobha Broota to the transcendent metal sculptures of Balan Nambiar, the exhibition invites reflection on the tensions between the organic and the artificial, the personal and the collective, the visible and the invisible.
With works that delve into mythology, memory, migration, and the body, the artists create immersive environments that encourage introspection and dialogue. Whether exploring the fluidity of time in Chittrovanu Mazumdar’s layered compositions or the negotiation of cultural identity in Fathima Rukshana’s textured pieces, each artist offers a poignant meditation on the ever-evolving nature of human experience. Through their innovative approaches, these artists challenge conventional boundaries, pushing the viewer to reconsider the relationships between history, place, and self. This exhibition serves as both a reflection on the intricacies of contemporary life and a celebration of the transformative power of art.
Balan Nambiar
Balan Nambiar is a prominent Indian artist whose work blends mythology, folklore, and ritualistic traditions with a modern sensibility. His multidisciplinary practice spans painting, sculpture, and metal casting, with a particular focus on South Indian cultural narratives, especially those related to Theyyam and Tuluva traditions. Nambiar's sculptures in stainless steel and other metals reveal a compelling interplay of geometry, abstraction, and symbolism. His deep-rooted connection to the spiritual and metaphysical aspects of Indian art allows him to create works that transcend physical form, evoking a sense of transcendence and timelessness.
In addition to his sculptural work, Nambiar has been an instrumental figure in documenting and preserving South Indian folk traditions through research and photography. His work often reflects his deep engagement with cultural heritage, offering insights into the preservation and evolution of traditional art forms in contemporary contexts. The reflective surfaces in his sculptures mirror the luminosity of ancient rituals, making them not only aesthetic but also symbolic representations of the sacred.
Throughout his career, Nambiar has made invaluable contributions to the Indian art landscape, with his large-scale public sculptures being celebrated as landmarks of cultural memory and collective identity. His innovative blending of traditional iconography and contemporary aesthetics continues to push the boundaries of Indian art, making his work a vital part of the dialogue between past and present.
Shobha Broota
Shobha Broota is a distinguished Indian artist whose abstract, meditative works transcend the conventional boundaries of visual expression. Known for her meticulous use of tonal gradations and textured surfaces, Broota’s work evokes a deep sense of rhythm and spiritual engagement. Her paintings, which often utilize materials like acrylic, wool, and threads, explore the intimate connection between sound, vibration, and energy. Each piece is a quiet, almost mystical reflection on harmony and balance, inviting viewers to connect with the inherent energy within the work.
Broota's artistic evolution has seen her move from figurative to minimalist and textural abstraction, with an emphasis on material experimentation. Her use of layering and the interplay of light and depth encourages a meditative experience, pulling the viewer into a space of introspection and contemplation. Whether on canvas, fabric, or handmade paper, her work challenges perceptions of space, light, and materiality, urging the audience to look beyond the visual to uncover deeper layers of meaning.
With a career spanning several decades, Broota has exhibited widely in India and abroad, with her work becoming part of significant collections, including those at the National Gallery of Modern Art and Lalit Kala Akademi. Her commitment to the exploration of abstraction and texture places her at the forefront of contemporary Indian art, where she continues to redefine the language of visual expression.
Bikash Bhattacharjee
Bikash Bhattacharjee (1940–2006) was a masterful Indian painter renowned for his hyper-realistic and surreal depictions of urban life. Bhattacharjee’s works delve deep into the socio-political realities of post-independence Bengal, capturing the social tensions, emotional struggles, and psychological depths of the middle class. His signature style combined realism with surreal elements, creating a haunting and evocative visual language. His meticulous attention to detail, paired with his mastery of light and shadow, allowed him to infuse everyday scenes with an air of mystery, transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary.
Bhattacharjee’s works often featured recurring motifs such as enigmatic Bengali women, decaying urban landscapes, and surreal dream-like imagery, which reflected both personal and collective trauma. His paintings explored the psychological complexities of life in a changing society, merging the real and the unreal to create powerful visual narratives. His contributions to Indian art were recognized through prestigious awards such as the National Award from the Lalit Kala Akademi and the Padma Shri in 1988.
His legacy endures through his profound ability to capture the essence of a turbulent period in India’s history. Bhattacharjee’s works continue to resonate, offering a haunting reflection on the tensions between realism, surrealism, and social critique.
Chittrovanu Mazumdar
Chittrovanu Mazumdar’s paintings are an exploration of identity, memory, and cultural history through a distinctive blend of abstraction and symbolism. His works invite viewers into a reflective space where the passage of time, the fluidity of memory, and the complexities of migration are evoked through layered textures and transparent forms. Mazumdar’s art explores the dynamic interplay between past and present, drawing from both traditional Indian art forms and contemporary techniques to challenge and redefine cultural identity.
His paintings often feature overlapping forms, fragmented imagery, and delicate brushwork that suggest the fragility of memory and the ongoing negotiation between tradition and modernity. The surfaces of his works act as both a literal and metaphorical canvas for history, where personal and collective narratives are interwoven. Through this engagement with memory, Mazumdar questions the concept of belonging, offering a poignant meditation on how identity is shaped by both cultural heritage and personal experience.
Mazumdar’s use of abstraction and symbolic motifs enables him to explore how time, history, and place intersect to create the contours of identity. His work invites a deeper understanding of the transformative relationship between memory, place, and cultural continuity, encouraging the viewer to reconsider the evolving nature of belonging in an increasingly interconnected world.
Simrin Mehra Agarwal
Simrin Mehra Agarwal’s practice explores the tension between organic and mechanical forms, focusing on identity and the complexities of contemporary life. She combines soft, tactile materials like fabric, thread, and organic substances with rigid, industrial elements such as metal, wire, and machine parts. This juxtaposition reflects the duality of human experience, where internal desires meet external societal pressures, highlighting the fragility and resilience inherent in contemporary existence.
Agarwal’s work creates a dialogue between the natural and the mechanical, offering new perspectives on femininity, power, and societal roles. Through sculptures and paintings, she investigates the ways in which individuals navigate personal autonomy within an increasingly industrialized and technologized world. Her art merges abstraction with the symbolic, exploring how the organic and mechanical can coexist and inform one another, creating a transformative space where identity, nature, and culture are constantly in flux.
Through her ongoing practice, Agarwal continues to contribute to conversations surrounding the evolving role of women in modern society, offering thought-provoking reflections on how the human experience is shaped by both organic forms and mechanized structures. Her work challenges conventional narratives and invites the viewer to reconsider the intersection of the organic and the artificial in contemporary identity.
Sina Dyks
Sina Dyks is a contemporary artist whose work explores the intersection of materiality, time, and human presence through sculpture and installation. Her interdisciplinary practice incorporates ceramics, mixed media, and organic materials to create immersive environments that evoke a tension between permanence and impermanence. Dyks’ art examines the fragility of life, memory, and cultural narratives, offering an emotional and intellectual response to the passage of time.
Her installations challenge the viewer’s relationship to space and the object, inviting a reflective dialogue between abstraction and representation. Using ceramics alongside other materials like fabric and metal, Dyks creates a sense of transformation and transition. Each piece embodies emotional states, reflecting on how objects and materials can both carry personal histories and transform in response to time and context.
Dyks’ immersive works engage not only visually but physically, drawing viewers into a space where memory and presence are in constant flux. Through this, her art reflects on collective histories, personal experiences, and the marks we leave behind. By blurring the boundaries between the tangible and intangible, Dyks invites deeper contemplation on the nature of transformation, presence, and memory in the human experience.
Theo Pinto
Theo Pinto is a contemporary artist whose work delves into the complexities of identity, culture, and memory through a range of media, including painting, sculpture, and installation. His practice explores personal history and collective cultural narratives, often employing abstraction to communicate intricate emotions, social constructs, and the passage of time. Pinto’s art is marked by a sensitive interplay of texture, color, and form, inviting the viewer to engage with layers of meaning that transcend the physical.
His sculptures and installations create immersive environments where space and identity are fluid and ever-changing. Pinto’s work addresses the tension between the organic and the constructed, exploring themes of transformation, belonging, and dislocation. By merging personal expression with universal themes, his art offers insightful commentary on how history, place, and memory shape our understanding of self.
Pinto’s ability to merge traditional and contemporary influences allows him to push the boundaries of how we perceive identity, memory, and cultural expression. His works resonate across cultures, offering a deep reflection on the complexities of modern life and the interconnectedness of individual and collective experiences.
