Aakriti Art Gallery Presents K.G. Subramanyan: The Poetry of the Everyday - An Exhibition of Rare Works on Paper by One of India’s Greatest Modern Masters

Kolkata: Aakriti Art Gallery is pleased to present a landmark exhibition of works on paper by K.G. Subramanyan (1924–2016), one of the most influential figures in modern Indian art. Featuring a carefully curated selection of drawings, watercolours, gouaches, ink works, and mixed-media compositions, the exhibition offers visitors an intimate opportunity to engage with the remarkable graphic language of an artist whose influence extended far beyond painting into mural-making, printmaking, design, writing, and art education. The exhibition includes a wide range of works on paper that demonstrate the diversity of Subramanyan’s practice across media and formats. 

K.G. Subramanyan

Widely regarded as one of the architects of post-Independence Indian modernism, K.G. Subramanyan redefined the relationship between tradition and modernity. Educated at Kala Bhavana, Santiniketan, under masters such as Nandalal Bose and Benode Behari Mukherjee, he developed a highly original visual language rooted in Indian folk and craft traditions while engaging with international modernist ideas. Throughout his long career, he championed the belief that art should remain closely connected to everyday life and accessible to all.

Unlike his celebrated murals and monumental works, this exhibition focuses on the intimacy and immediacy of his works on paper. Executed with remarkable freedom and economy of line, these drawings and paintings reveal the artist’s extraordinary ability to transform ordinary people, domestic scenes, animals, conversations, and fleeting moments into timeless visual narratives filled with wit, empathy, and poetic imagination.

The exhibition has been thoughtfully assembled by Asmita Mukherjee, whose selection highlights the remarkable breadth of Subramanyan’s graphic practice while offering fresh insight into the spontaneity, experimentation, and intellectual depth that define his art.

Speaking about the exhibition, Vikram Bachhawat, Director of Aakriti Art Gallery, said:

“K.G. Subramanyan remains one of the most intellectually significant artists of modern India. While his larger works are widely celebrated, this exhibition allows viewers to encounter the intimacy of his creative process through drawings and works on paper that possess extraordinary freshness and humanity. We are delighted to present this important exhibition in Kolkata, a city with which the artist shared deep artistic and cultural connections.”

K.G. Subramanyan

Accompanying the exhibition is a fully illustrated catalogue featuring a scholarly essay exploring Subramanyan’s enduring contribution to Indian modern art, his philosophy of creativity, and the significance of the works presented. For nearly two decades, Aakriti Art Gallery has played an important role in presenting museum-quality exhibitions of modern and contemporary Indian art, alongside research, publications, and documentation that contribute to a deeper understanding of India’s artistic heritage. This exhibition continues the gallery’s commitment to presenting historically significant artists through carefully researched and thoughtfully curated exhibitions.

K.G. Subramanyan

The exhibition is expected to attract collectors, scholars, artists, students, and art enthusiasts interested in the evolution of modern Indian art and the legacy of one of its most celebrated masters.

Exhibition: K.G. Subramanyan: The Poetry of the Everyday

Venue: Aakriti Art Gallery, 12/3A Hungerford Street, Kolkata – 700017

From 19 August 2026 to 5 September 2026.

Gallery Hours: Monday to Saturday, 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM

Media Contact:

N.G.Rao

Aakriti Art Gallery

12/3A Hungerford Street, Kolkata – 700017-Phone: +91 98304 11115 

Email: admin@aakritiartgallery.com / Website: www.aakritiartgallery.com

About Aakriti Art Gallery

Founded in 2005, Aakriti Art Gallery is one of Eastern India’s leading galleries dedicated to modern and contemporary Indian art. Through exhibitions, publications, research initiatives, and digital platforms such as Art Insights and Ask Aakriti, the gallery actively promotes scholarship, documentation, and informed collecting while presenting important works by established masters and emerging artists.

“Eternal Whispers of Stone” Solo Show of Paintings By Uma Krishnamoorthy in Nehru Centre Art Gallery

Eternal Whispers of Stone presents a compelling ongoing series of paintings by Mumbai-based artist Uma Krishnamoorthy, who turns her gaze towards India's sacred architecture as repositories of memory, devotion and cultural continuity. Rather than treating temples as monuments frozen in history, Uma approaches them as living presences whose meanings continue to evolve through ritual, landscape and the everyday lives that surround them. 

 Artist: Uma Krishnamoorthy

Working primarily in oil on linen or canvas, the artist journeys across the Indian subcontinent; from the Golden Temple in Amritsar and the sculptural magnificence of Kamakhya in Assam to the temple towns of Kashi, Konark, Kasardevi, Kopeshwar and beyond. Yet this exhibition is not intended as a documentary survey. Instead, it is an exploration of atmosphere: of light settling upon ancient stone, reflections dissolving architecture into water, mountain silence framing a solitary shrine, and the quiet passage of time etched into weathered surfaces.

Golden Temple series 7, Oil on linen, 16x18 inches

Uma’s paintings are marked by an instinctive sensitivity to light and structure. Architectural forms emerge not merely as feats of craftsmanship but as vessels carrying centuries of faith, craftsmanship and collective memory. Her compositions frequently linger on thresholds, stairways, domes and sculptural details, inviting the viewer to pause before entering these sacred spaces both physically and imaginatively. The measured handling of colour and light allows each site to retain its distinct geographical and cultural identity while suggesting a shared spiritual vocabulary that transcends region.

The exhibition also reflects on the remarkable resilience of India's temple traditions observed during her repeated travels. These structures have witnessed changing kingdoms, political upheavals and shifting cultural landscapes, yet they continue to function as centres of worship, gathering and continuity. In Uma’s hands, architecture becomes less an archaeological relic than a living archive where history, belief and daily life remain inseparable.

Eternal Whispers of Stone offers viewers an opportunity to reconsider sacred architecture beyond its iconic status. It invites a slower engagement with places where stone has absorbed centuries of footsteps, prayers and silence, revealing temples not only as architectural achievements but also as enduring custodians of India's civilisational memory.

This exhibition will be inaugurated on 4th August 2026 at 4.30pm by the Hon. Guests Smt. Sreedevi Surya & Shri. Challa Sreenivasulu Setty, Chairman, State Bank of India

Sushma Sabnis

Art Curator & Writer

 From: 4th to 10th August 2026  - “Eternal Whispers of Stone” Solo Show of Paintings

By Well-known artist Uma Krishnamoorthy

VENUE: Nehru Centre Art Gallery  - AC Gallery, Dr. Annie Besant Road

Worli, Mumbai 400018 - Timing: 11am to 7pm

Email: uma.k1207@gmail.com

Aakriti Art Gallery Launches India’s First AI-Powered Virtual Art Advisor “Ask Aakriti” and Biannual Research Journal “Art Insights”

Kolkata, 17 July 2026 — In a landmark evening that seamlessly blended tradition with cutting-edge innovation, Aakriti Art Gallery unveiled two transformative initiatives at its iconic space on 12/3A Hungerford Street (Picasso Bithi), Kolkata. The gallery, a pioneer in the Indian art ecosystem since 2005, launched Ask Aakriti — India’s first AI-powered digital art advisory platform — alongside the inaugural issue of Art Insights, a new biannual research journal dedicated to Indian art history, documentation, provenance, and collecting practices.

The event drew a distinguished cross-section of Kolkata’s art fraternity, including eminent art historians and critics Mrinal Ghosh, Nanak Ganguly, Prasanta Daw, and Debdutta Gupta, alongside leading artists, collectors, scholars, writers, and enthusiasts. The intimate yet intellectually charged gathering reflected the gallery’s longstanding philosophy of going beyond exhibitions and sales to preserve knowledge, foster research, and create meaningful conversations around Indian Modern and Contemporary Art.

The Launch Ceremony

The ceremony was conducted by Aman Bachhawat (graduate of Sotheby’s Institute of Art, New York), together with noted art collector Pradip Bothra and Chhatrapati Dutta, Principal of the Government College of Art & Craft, Kolkata. Their presence underscored the collaborative spirit bridging institutional academia, private collecting, and curatorial innovation.

Against a striking backdrop of bronze sculptures of cultural luminaries and thoughtfully curated artworks, the gallery’s white-walled space was reconfigured into a dynamic forum. White slipcovered chairs were arranged in clusters and semi-circles, encouraging dialogue rather than a traditional stage-audience divide. A projector and laptop setup facilitated live demonstrations, while a tripod-mounted camera documented the proceedings for posterity.

Highlights from the Evening

The evening began with warm welcomes and contextual remarks on the gallery’s two-decade journey of innovation — from the GenNext platform for emerging artists to the popular Affordable Art Mela concept. Attendees then witnessed the formal unveiling of the two new initiatives.

Ask Aakriti, the flagship AI-powered platform, was presented as a practical, intelligent companion for collectors, students, researchers, and art lovers. Drawing on Aakriti’s deep curatorial archives and two decades of expertise, it offers contextual search, artist insights, intelligent artwork recommendations, collection guidance, and accessible knowledge on Indian Modern and Contemporary Art. The live demonstration (visible in several photographs via the projector setup) showcased its intuitive interface and potential to democratize high-quality art advisory services across India.

Art Insights, the new biannual research journal, was introduced as a collective endeavour of the gallery’s in-house research team. The inaugural issue focuses on overlooked artists, archival discoveries, provenance research, market perspectives, and lesser-known narratives — filling critical gaps in Indian art scholarship. Copies and previews were shared, sparking immediate interest among the scholarly attendees.

Thoughtful Dialogues and Engaged Participation

What truly distinguished the evening was its conversational format. Speakers and panelists, including members of the gallery leadership and distinguished guests, engaged in open exchanges while seated among the audience. Photographs capture candid moments: thoughtful crossed arms, animated hand gestures during discussions, attentive listening from all generations, and warm smiles amid serious deliberation.

One particularly evocative image shows a core group of speakers and moderators — including figures in crisp white shirts, patterned polos, and scholarly vests — seated near the large window with the bronze sculptures behind them, deep in conversation. Another wide shot reveals the full breadth of the gathering: seasoned scholars with flowing white hair and beards alongside younger professionals and enthusiasts, all united by a shared passion for Indian art.

Water bottles, notebooks, and the visible “ART INSIGHTS” publication on a stand added to the authentic, working-session atmosphere. The evening flowed naturally from formal presentations into lively Q&A and informal networking, embodying the gallery’s vision of creating “meaningful conversations.”

A Visionary Quote

Vikram Bachhawat, Founder-Director of Aakriti Art Gallery, encapsulated the significance of the dual launch:

“For more than twenty years, Aakriti has believed that a gallery should do much more than exhibit and sell art. It should preserve knowledge, encourage research, educate collectors and create meaningful conversations around Indian art. Ask Aakriti and Art Insights are natural extensions of that philosophy. One embraces the possibilities of artificial intelligence, while the other strengthens the culture of research and documentation. Together, they represent our commitment to making Indian art more accessible, better documented and more deeply understood.”

Looking Ahead

With Ask Aakriti now live and accessible through the gallery’s digital platforms, and the first issue of Art Insights marking the beginning of a sustained publishing programme, Aakriti Art Gallery has positioned itself at the forefront of India’s evolving art knowledge ecosystem. These initiatives complement the gallery’s core strengths in authentication, provenance research, and client advisory while opening new doors for wider public engagement.

The 17 July launch was not merely an unveiling — it was a celebration of dialogue, scholarship, and technological possibility, set within the living heritage of Kolkata’s art scene. The photographs from the evening beautifully capture this spirit: a room alive with ideas, where bronze icons of the past bore witness to conversations shaping the future of Indian art.

Aakriti Art Gallery continues its journey of innovation with the same integrity and passion that has defined it for over two decades.

For more information, to interact with Ask Aakriti, or to enquire about Art Insights, please contact the gallery at +91 98304 11115 / 11116 or visit 

Celebrating contemporary master Prabhakar Kolte's 80th birthday with Imprints of (E)motions, curated by JohnyML at the Auditorium Gallery, Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai

Veteran modern and contemporary abstract artist Prabhakar Kolte celebrates his 80th birthday on 21 July 2026. To mark the occasion, Treasure Art Gallery (TAG), led by directors Tina Chandroji and Paresh Makwana, presents Imprints of (E)motions, a solo semi-retrospective of the artist at the Auditorium Gallery, Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai. Curated by renowned art historian and curator JohnyML, the exhibition opens on Tuesday, 21 July 2026, at 5.30 pm.

Artist: Prabhakar Kolte

"This is a very special exhibition featuring 80 works, including paintings in his hallmark style, early portraits, drawings and sculptural assemblages. These 80 works symbolically celebrate the 80 years of Kolte Sir's life and artistic journey," says Tina Chandroji. "TAG has worked closely with Kolte Sir for the past ten years, presenting his work nationally and internationally through major solo and retrospective exhibitions," adds Paresh Makwana.

Makwana recalls that during the COVID-19 lockdown, Kolte entered a remarkably distinctive creative phase, producing sculptural assemblages and large-scale, action-oriented works. "TAG worked closely with him during those challenging times, giving us rare glimpses into his creative imagination. The lockdown stripped people of their social masks, allowing me to understand him not only as an artist but also as a human being. What began as a professional engagement gradually became a deeply personal pursuit to understand the aesthetics of Kolte Sir," he says.

Prabhakar Kolte emerged on the Indian modern art scene during the 1960s, entering an art world dominated by masters such as Raza, Souza, Husain, Gaitonde and Krishen Khanna. Although he excelled in figurative and representational painting with remarkable technical dexterity, he soon realised that art was not about producing photographic copies of the visible world. His understanding of abstraction evolved through a deep engagement with Hindustani music, Marathi literature, and the works of Gaitonde, Barwe and Paul Klee. Once he discovered the creative rhythm that connected language, music and colour, his artistic vocabulary found its distinctive direction. As Kolte himself has often remarked, he stopped "seeing" things before painting them and began to "see" them only after they had been painted.

Today, Kolte is acknowledged as one of the most influential figures for generations of Indian abstract artists who emerged during the 1980s and 1990s. During his long tenure at Sir J. J. School of Art, he mentored numerous young artists, many of whom went on to make significant contributions to contemporary Indian art.

Curator JohnyML writes in the exhibition catalogue

"There is one Kolte who is a die-hard formalist with no interest in stories and anecdotes. In this case, the artist comes across as a warrior of modernism, sitting on his high horse, ready for a combat that would end in the complete decimation of anybody who sees a 'story' in his paintings. The other Kolte is a spiritual monk, living in his hermitage, far away from the madding and maddening crowds, exuding ancient wisdom through his paintings. The third Kolte is a storyteller, or a wandering bard, whose words construct his story—as an artist, an anarchist, a rebel and a wildly creative genius. Then comes the question: Who is the real Prabhakar Kolte? Which of these should be considered the real Kolte? This exhibition may offer answers to all such questions."

Imprints of (E)motions will remain on view until 27 July 2026.

Jehangir Art Gallery 

Address: 161B, Mahatma Gandhi Road, Kala Ghoda, Fort, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400001