The Art Space

Jangarh Singh Shyam belonged to tribal Gond community hailing from a small village of Patangarh in Mandla district of Madhya Pradesh. Born in 1962 Shyam did not receive much formal education and was a self taught artist.His paintings reflect a strong vision of tribal practices that have been passed on from generations. Heavily influenced by his surroundings, his works often depict natural elements like birds, trees, animals and local deities like Bagh Dev, Marahi Dev etc.  His early works involved decorating homes and ceremonial spaces with traditional murals, however his talent got recognized at an early age of 16 when renowned artist Jagdish Swaminathan, the then director of Bharat Bhavan in Bhopal visited Mandla with an intent of building a collection of tribal art in Bhopal. During his visit Swaminathan stumbled upon the beautifully decorated walls of houses and discovered his talent and brought him to work at the Bharat Bhavan in Bhopal.  After moving to Bhopal, Shyam dev...

 "Art is the only way of living for me. I love to express myself and when I paint, I cease to exist". A multi-faceted feminist artist Gogi Saroj Pal was born in small town of Neoli, Uttar Pradesh in 1945. Gogi’s works are a reflection of her life and cultural identity. She obtained her formal education from College of Art in Banasthali region of Rajasthan, a diploma from Government College of Art, Lucknow followed by a post Graduate diploma in painting from the college of Art, New Delhi in 1968. Her formal education solidifies her skills and vision as an artist. Women always remained the central subject for Pal. The iconic combination of myth and reality are beautifully depicted in her works. Gogi started her career as a graphic artist in 1965, where she exhibited some 30 works at the Lucknow Information centre. She created these works in mediums such as linocut, mono-prints, lithographs and woodcut. However, she eventually established her own distinctive figurative style...

 Arpita singh is one of the most influential women artists in India, Known for her detailed pictorial depiction of complex emotions and imagery. The artist was born in 1937 in Bara Nagar, Kolkata, West Bengal. She received her diploma in Fine Arts at Delhi Polytechnic now known as College of Art from 1954-1959, She later joined the Government of India’s Cottage industries restoration programme in 1959, where she had the opportunity to work with local weavers and artisans which eventually reflected in her body of work.  Her paintings are vibrant and delicate usually dominated by the pinks and blues. The bold colors and strong lines create a sense of continuity and fierce story telling. The composition is a mix of many emotions depicted in one scene with women being the central image; she absorbs the complexities of the world and represents them in her own distinctive way. She beautifully captures the themes of motherhood, feminine sensuality, vulnerability. The little details o...

Founded in 2010 by the Kochi Biennale Foundation, Kochi Muziris Biennale is India’s first and largest International exhibition of Contemporary Art. Kochi Biennale sixth edition titled ‘For the Time Being’ is curated by multi disciplinary artist Nikhil Chopra along with HH Art spaces, an artist led organization based in Goa. The biennale opened on 12th December, 2025 and features about 66 projects from 25 countries with main focus on envisioning a living, evolving and responsive art, ecosystem that prioritizes process, friendship and collaboration over biennale models.          Courtesy: www.kochimuzirisbiennale.org This year’s edition centres around emerging a global perspective by bringing together artists from across India and the world, the biennale presents works spanning diverse mediums and disciplines. The idea is to present biennale as a living eco system rather than a singular exhibition where each element shares space, time and resources and grows ...

Latitude 28 opened its exhibition “Evolution / Involution”on 3rd February, 2026 - an exhibition curated by Khushboo Jain provides a platform to 17 International artists like Alexander Gorlizk, Desmond Lazaro, Jethro Buck, Nicole Frobush, Sohan Qadri and many more. Artwork by Desmond Lazaro, Courtesy: Latitude 28 Director Bhavna Kakkar believes that the exhibition begins with the most elemental gesture, the Bindu not as a static symbol, but as a living point of possibilities. Master artists such Sohan Qadri and Prabhakar Barwe set in motion a profound visual and philosophical wave, one that reshaped how abstraction, energy and inner structure could be approached between South Asian Art. Curator Khushboo Jain feels that these graphic notations circles, points, grids and pulsating geometries are not merely formal devices but are propositions: way of thinking, sensing and entering state of inwardness. ‘Bindu’ being the central core image not only works as a symbol but as an organizing prin...

Pulp Society presents a solo exhibition of artist Palak Modi titled “404: Self not found”. The exhibition reflects on how personal agency is challenged in an age of prediction and automation, and how selfhood becomes something constantly negotiated within and against technology. Algorithmic Flesh 1, Mixed media on sandpaper, 9 x 11 inches, 2025, Courtesy: Pulp Society The exhibition focuses on her practice where she explores the possibility of what our minds become when overloaded by constant digital input. Through her art she introspects how our world typically weaves around screens, algorithms, online systems and the very reality of technology. She feels while the technology is designed to make our life easier, it quietly changes the way we think and feel everyday.   She also examines how the digital world reduces complex human experience into simple data points. As identities become filtered and measured through digital systems, we begin to see ourselves through the logic o...

Fresco painting in India has a rich history, especially in the context of ancient and medieval art. While it might not be as widely recognized as in some other regions, India has several notable fresco examples. Ajanta and Ellora Caves : These UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Maharashtra feature stunning frescoes dating back to the 2nd century BCE to the 6th century CE. The Ajanta Caves showcase elaborate paintings depicting the life of Buddha and various Jataka tales. The Ellora Caves also have some frescoes, albeit fewer in number compared to Ajanta, portraying Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain themes. Shekhawati Region : In Rajasthan, particularly in the Shekhawati region, fresco paintings adorn havelis (traditional ornate homes). These frescoes depict a variety of themes, including mythological stories, daily life scenes, and religious motifs. The town of Mandawa is known for its beautifully painted havelis showcasing this art form. Bundi Palace : The palace in Bundi, Rajasthan, is renowned ...

  Amrita Sher-Gil was a renowned Indian painter, often considered one of the most important Indian artists of the 20th century. Born in 1913 to a Sikh father and a Hungarian mother, Sher-Gil's artistic talent was evident from a young age. She studied art in Paris at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts and the Grande Chaumière, where she was influenced by European art movements like Post-Impressionism. Sher-Gil's work is known for its unique blend of Western techniques with traditional Indian art styles. She painted mostly portraits and landscapes, capturing the essence of India and its people. Her art often depicted the lives of Indian villagers and reflected the socio-economic realities of the time. Tragically, Sher-Gil passed away at a young age of 28 in 1941, leaving behind a relatively small but impactful body of work that continues to influence and inspire artists to this day. Her legacy remains significant in the history of Indian art, celebrated for its richness, depth, and portray...

Born in Kapadwarj, Gujarat – Tyeb Mehta is one of the most well-known Indian artists of his generation. He briefly worked as a film editor and then joined Sir J.J. School of Art in Mumbai to study art and graduated in year 1952. Tyeb Mehta became a part of Bombay Progressive Artists Group. He was a strong film maker, His one and only film, Koodal was also a masterpiece of such montages, where he tries to project the same or similar images through a different medium. He won a National Award for the film. Bulls, Rickshaw pullers, Kali were some of the main subjects of his artworks. His work is characterized by matte surface, diagonal lines breaking his canvasses and images of anguish – a result of pre occupation with formalist means of expression. Use of flat planes of colour provided the canvasses an intense means of expression in his oeuvre of work. A transformation occurred in his painting style when he visited America, it was during his stay in America that Abstract Expressionism...

“I do not feel at home anywhere, but the idea of home follows me everywhere”. Zarina Hashmi was an Indian American artist and printmaker. She received a degree in mathematics and was fascinated by architecture which reflects in her use of geometry and structural purity in her thoughts. A strong influence of her identity can be witnessed in all her works. Use of visual elements from Islamic religious geometrical features are the primary concept behind her art. Amalgamating her religious identity with her sense of symmetry, Zarina had created a niche for herself in the world of art. Her keen interest in Geography and city layouts is the crux behind her art practice. A lot of her works show aerial views of cities. Zarina Hashmi’s work challenges familiar locations like ‘Country’ the ways in which they are bordered, delineated and trans versed, and feelings and memories that they evoke in us. Her minimalist prints use these locations to construct new geographies, imbibing them with f...

Symbolism was an artistic movement that originated with a group of French poets in the late 19 th Century. The movement came into existence with an expression of an idea over the realistic description of the natural world. The term ‘symbolism’ was coined in 1886 by French critic Jean Moreas to describe the poetry of Stephane Mallarmi and Paul Verlaine. The concept of symbolism was incorporated in visual arts, to depict the natural world using symbols as metaphors. Symbolist artists aim to depict various forms of expressions and emotions using varied symbols. The work of symbolist artists and writers was also fueled by new psychological content particularly erotic and mystical. Common themes included: love, fear, anguish, death, sexual awakening and unrequited desire. Though the movement began in France, symbolism was an international avant garde movement that spread across Europe and America during the last two decades of the 19 th Century.       The use of symbolism ...

“I wanted to work with my hands and do something that involved both the hands and the mind (technology). So, I chose Ceramics”. P R Daroz, an Indian Ceramist known for his bold and innovative techniques is considered to be one of the most gifted and versatile artists in Indi. Daroz was the first person from Telangana t o study ceramics at MSU, baroda. Though he had not worked on the potter’s wheel, he was accepted in the ceramics Programme at the University with a scholarship because he had studied Applied Art and Design. The artist is responsible to give ceramics prominence as an art form in India in a way no one had quite succeed in doing before him. Daroz has experienced with a wide range of materials and mediums to create a variety of finely crafted ceramic works in his unique style. In the beginning of his career, Daroz created several series of vessel forms. Subsequently, he slowly began expanding and diversifying his interest towards architectural ceramics. Daroz believes ...

“The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls”. Pablo Ruiz Picasso was born on 25th October 1881 in Spain. He was considered to be one of the most important and dominant art figures of 20th Century.   Picasso is also known as the Father of Cubism as he pioneered the concept of Cubism in the world of art. Other than cubism he also made notable contributions to Surrealism and known to have invented Collage art.   Picasso intermittently travelled between Paris and Spain until 1904, during this period his artworks suggested a feeling of darkness and desolation. His earliest artistic phase is known as the Blue Phase, featuring motifs from everyday Parisian life, these motifs were significant as they implicated the poverty and loneliness. The artist demonstrated extra ordinary artistic talent in his early years, his style of transitioned during his course of art practice.   Picasso was fairly experimental with his art hence created painted different ...

Realism was an artistic movement that began in 1950s in France. The movement was started with an aim to depict things as they originally were. The term ‘Realism’ was coined by French novelist Frent Champfleury in the 1840s and in art it was used in the work of his friend painter Gustav Courbet. He is considered to be the most prominent leading figure of the movement. He constructed the basis on which the movement was built. Another important realist painted who pioneered the movement was Jean -Francois Millet, he created paintings comprising of everyday subjects like farmers, working class people etc. Realist painters rejected the ideal of ideal portrayal of the subject rather chose to paint the ordinary scenes and lifestyle of people of 19 th century. The subjects in their artworks included scenes of peasants, city, streets, cafes etc. The movement of realism can be considered as the beginning of Modern art with France being its epicenter, however, the movement quickly spread throu...

Cubism is regarded as one of the most important and famous art movements. The revolutionary approach was pioneered in around 1907-08 by artist Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque. The cubist style of painting emphasized on producing two-dimensional view on canvas. The cubist artist challenged the existing concept of that art should be limited to nature, landscape etc. The primary objective was to abandon the figurative portrayals and other genres of art. This aspect along with its unique evolution and lasting influence has made cubism one of the most celebrated art forms of 20 th Century.   Cubist painters incorporated geometric designs and forms as their subjects. Cubism was partly inspired by the late work of artist Paul Cezanne where he can be seen painting things from different angles and point of view. While Picasso and Braque are credited with creating this new visual language, it was adopted and further developed by many painters, including Fernand Léger, Robert and Soni...

One of India’s best known contemporary painters F. N. Souza was born in 1924, Saligoa (a Portugese colony) in a small town in the state of Goa.  F.N Souza founded the progressive artist’s group along with SH Raza, MF Husain, Akbar Padamsee in year 1947. The objective was to advocate the concept of Modern Indian art. His early works depict the scenes and people of his native place. His initial works were greatly influenced by his Goan roots and featured women, markets, rice fields, priests, churches and homes. During the year of 1948, Souza’s paintings were displayed in London and later on he moved there. The influence of art movements like Expressionism and Art Brut are very clearly visible in his style of work. The artist painted a wide range of subjects throughout his life. Souza’s bold choices of colours and subjects often challenged the thought process of its viewer. He often used distorted figures to depict the harsh realities of life. It was in 1950s & 60s, When Souza...

Surrealism emerged as one of the most popular movement in visual art and literature. The movement was founded by the port Andre Breton in Paris in 1924. The term ‘ Surrealist’ suggesting ‘beyond reality’ was coined by the French avant-garde poet ‘Guilaume Apollinaire’ in the preface to a play performed in 1917. The intent of surrealism was to liberate thought, language and human experience from the oppressive boundaries of rationalism. During 1920s, Visual artists continued exploring surrealist concepts in art, obtaining complete creative freedom. The artists of that time experimented with a new mode of expression called- automatic writing or automatism, which sought to release the unbridled imagination of the subconscious. Since its inception, the ideas and art associated with Surrealism have been disseminated, embraced and re-imagined through international networks of exchange and collaboration. Surrealism's core ideas and themes have been adapted and deemed relevant to diffe...

"I paint self portraits because I am so often alone, I am the person I know best".  Widely known for her passion, pain and self portraits Frida Kahlo is one of the most celebrated artists of Mexico. Kahlo had a troubled childhood, as a child she suffered from Polio that left her with a slight limp. In another incident, Frida Kahlo nearly died in a bus accident as a teenager. She suffered multiple fractures of her spine, collarbone, ribs, a shattered pelvis, broken foot and dislocated shoulder. In her lifetime, the artist had 30 operations. During her recovery period, Kahlo began to focus heavily on painting. She created almost 200 paintings in her lifetime. The primary subjects of her paintings were still life and portraits of herself, family and friends. In meticulously executed paintings, Kahlo portrayed herself again and again. She created the first self portrait in year 1926, where she can be seen wearing a velvet dress. It was painted in the style of the 19th century...

Land Art or Earth Art is an Art Movement that emerged in the 1960s and 1970s. The origins of the movement are majorly associated with Great Britain and the United States of America. The term ‘Land Art’ means a piece of art created directly in the landscape using the natural materials such as rocks, stones, twigs, leaves etc. Some artists use mechanical earth moving equipment to make their art pieces while some use site specific temporary intervention in the landscapes. The works usually exist in the open, located well away from civilization left to change and erode under natural conditions. Artists creating the installations usually document their works, step by step process using photographs, videos, films, documentaries and maps to exhibit in the galleries or the museums. The concept behind the birth of land art was to build an alternative mode of artistic expression and ways to remove art from the commercial system. The pioneer artists behind the emergence of the Earth Art / L...

‘Impressionism’ is an art movement that emerged in France in the 19th Century. The founding impressionist artists were Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, Alfred Sisley and others. The entire concept of the movement was to capture the accurate depiction of the natural light and shadow. Impressionist artists preferred to paint outdoors instead of their studios. The key characterization included visible and small brushstrokes, impersonating the subject in its true light. Their subjects significantly comprised of the landscapes and scenes of everyday life. Impressionist painters could not afford to wait for France to accept their work, so they established their own exhibition—apart from the annual salon organized by the Académie. During the latter part of 1873, Monet, Renoir, Pissarro, and Sisley organized the Société Anonyme Coopérative des Artistes Peintres, Sculpteurs, Graveurs (“Cooperative and Anonymous Association of Painters, Sculptors, and Engravers”) to exhibit their artworks independentl...