On the Art Trail: Must-visit art exhibitions across India

Stretch your mind muscles with compelling ideas as you indulge in our art shows, auctions and new openings for this season. NEW DELHI
Step into the shoes of a legendPresented by the Gujral Foundation, celebrating 90 years Satish Gujral – A Brush with Life displays 70 of the living legend’s original works of art juxtaposed with rare archival photographs spanning his life and career. From paintings from the Indo-Pakistan partition era to his works as a sculptor and architect, each piece reveals unique narratives of his experiences during the post-independence era.
When: Till February 20, 2016
Where: Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts Twin Art Gallery, Central Vista mess, Janpath, New Delhi 110001Website: www.ignca.nic.in
Discover the language of rebellionPadma Bhushan awardee Jamini Roy’s drawings and paintings, that were part of Uma and Ravi Jain’s private collections, are finally open to the general public. Curated by Uma Nair, Carved Contours is a showcase of 80 unique works that reflect the artist’s anti-colonial stance in his portrayal of rural India and his abandon of European paints in favour of mineral and vegetable-based pigments.
When:  Till March 10, 2016
Where:  Dhoomimal Gallery, Connaught Place, New Delhi 01Website: www.dhoomimalgallery.com
Engage with temple teachings In a Show of Ceramics by Vinod Daroz, the artist plays with clay forms and glazes to create unique sculptural forms. Each piece is inspired by the temple towns of South India including the Thousand Lingas at Hampi, Srisailam in Andhra Pradesh and Kanchipuram in Tamil Nadu.
When: February 16 – March 15, 2016Where: Threshold Art Gallery, C 221, Sarvodaya Enclave, New Delhi 17Website: www.gallerythreshold.com
Understand the concept of a nation-stateIn a series of three installations, Shilpa Gupta uses mix media to explore the ambiguities of citizenship that arise among communities. Her artworks identify themes such as the imagined boundaries of a state, the reality of statelessness and contradictions that result from one’s identity.
When: Till February 21, 2016 Where:  Vadhera Art Gallery, D-53, Defence Colony, New Delhi 24 Website: www.vadheraart.com
Explore spiritual tendencies The Solo Show of Paintings is a series of masterpieces made by veteran SH Raza. In each of his paintings, he plays with elements of Tantrism from the Indian scriptures, while his brush techniques evoke styles of expressionism. One can witness his signature motif, the Bindu, a central circle with several colour compositions that highlights narratives in symbols, energy, birth and rebirth.
When: Till February 24, 2016Where: Vadehra Art Gallery, D-53, Defence Colony, New Delhi 24Website: www.vadehraart.com
Take a lesson in story telling If you are fascinated by folklore, modern play or even gossip and hearsays, then you will love upcoming artist Kartik Sood’s solo exhibition – In Search of a Dream and Other Stories. Inspired by the tradition of oral storytelling, he reinterprets anecdotes in each of his paintings that will leave you with plenty food for thought.
When: Till March 1, 2016 Where: Gallery Latitude 28, F 208, Lado Sarai, New Delhi 30Website: www.latitude28.com
MUMBAIExperience immersive photography Diesel’s Diesel + Art initiative will be showcasing Hanami, the first ever projection photography exhibit by photographer Rohan Shrestha, curated by Ambika Hinduja Macker of Impeccable Imagination. Inspired by Japan’s temples, monasteries and Sakura, the local cherry blossom flower, he exhibits a series of 18 images shot in the capital combined with moving projections.
When: February 6 – 21, 2016
Where: Diesel Store, Juhu, Mumbai 49Website: www.global.diesel.com
Delve into macro possibilitiesAcclaimed artist Jitish Kallat presents Sightings, a range of conceptual and sensory artworks that involve a suite of drawings, sculptures, photo-pieces and video. He explores diverse themes like time, sustenance, sleep, geometry and the celestial to such a point that each art piece begins to look like telescopic snapshots of supernova explosions.
When: Till February 25, 2016 Where: Chemould Prescott Road Gallery, Queens Mansion, G Talwalkar Marg, Fort, Mumbai 01Website: www.gallerychemould.com
Building the country from scratch  Organised by the Urban Design Research Institute, Mumbai, The State of Architecture: Practices and Processes in India is an exhibition co-curated by Rahul Mehrotra, Kaiwan Mehta and Ranjit Hoskote. Comprising a series of exhibitions, each will present the state of contemporary architecture in the country presented along larger historical analysis to encourage discussion at large.
When: Till March 27, 2016 Venue: National Gallery of Modern Art, Mumbai Website: www.stateofarchitecture.in
JAIPURGet behind the lensExhibitions, events and seminars by eminent national and international photographers will mark Travel Photo Jaipur, an outdoor photo festival that focuses on the theme of travel photography. It includes 14 exhibitions from all around the world at three landmark locations  – Hawa Mahal, Albert Hall Museum and Jawahar Kala Kendra.
When: February 5 – 14, 2016
Where: Jaipur City
Website: www.travelphotojaipur.com
KOLKATAPlay with notions of urban lifeExhibiting several sketches and acrylic paintings, Emerging Artist explores different aspects of nature and urban life. On display will be works of art by Avijit Mukherjee,Farhad Hussain, Rathin Mitra, Amal Ghosh, Avijit Sil, Sasanka Ghosh, Swapan Sarkar, Saugata Das and Sayak Mitra.
When: Till March 31, 2016Where: Ahuja Museum for Arts, 26, Ground Floor, Lee Road, Kolkata 20Website: www.sdahujaart.com
BENGALURU
Celebrate life’s complexities M S Sundarmuthy’s latest exhibition of vibrant paintings titled Perspire, Inspire & Celebrate pays tribute to the common man with a view to celebrate life’s ups and downs. His artwork takes bright, colourul vivid forms to capture the essence of life of common men and women going about their daily work.
When: February 5 – 27 2016 Where: Sublime Galleria, Sky Bridge, UB City, Vittal Mallya Road, Bengaluru 01Website: www.sublimegalleria.comCHENNAITake a photography workshopA non-profit initiative, the Chennai Photo Biennale is organised by Goethe Institut and Travelling Lens. At the event, leading photographers from around the world will interact with the local public with the aim to increase awareness of the medium.  When: February 26 – March 13, 2016Where: Goethe Institut, 5th Street, Rutland Gate, Nungambakkam, Srirampuram, Thousand Lights West, Chennai 06Website: www.chennaiphotobiennale.com
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