Prof. Sunil Kumar Saxena: A Journey Through Nature's Inner Mysteries

Nature is boundless in structure and infinite in form, and every artist strives often in vain to grasp its ever-shifting essence. Yet, it is within this very impossibility that art finds its poetry. Born in 1956, Professor Sunil Kumar Saxena has devoted nearly four decades to exploring this challenge. Educated in Kanpur, he has participated in

seven solo exhibitions, seven international exhibitions, and over a hundred group shows and art camps across India and abroad.

 

This show will be inaugurated on 9th September 2025 at 5.30 pm by Honorable Chief Guest Mr. Rajendra Patil, President, Bombay Art Society, Founder - India Art Festival, Guest of Honour Prof. Surendra Jagtap, Eminent Artist, Principal, J. K. Academy of Art and Design, Wadala, Mumbai, Treasurer, Bombay Art Society, Mumbai

 

For Prof. Saxena, landscape Paintings is not just a genre—it is a profound calling. He finds himself drawn not to the human presence within nature, but to nature’s enigmatic soul itself. His artworks dive deep into structural secrets and the layered beauty of terrain—mountains, rivers, and skies—which might appear familiar, yet, under his gaze, unveil hidden dimensions and emotional undercurrents.

 

In his visual world, blurred horizons, veiled mountain ranges, and mirrored reflections in water craft a dreamlike ambiance—one that compels viewers to look beyond the surface. His painterly language reflects a sophisticated understanding of space, light, and form. He does not merely depict nature; he interprets it, revealing layers of meaning that transcend visual representation and challenge the very boundaries of artistic expression. His abstract works transform natural elements into symbolic reflections of life. Mountains represent stability and strength; rivers suggest movement and continuity; clouds speak of life’s uncertainty; and the sky becomes a metaphor for freedom and spiritual longing. Through these expressive compositions, Saxena’s art functions as a metaphorical mirror of human existence. Nature, with its rhythmic cycles and inner divinity, profoundly influences human life. Prof. Saxena’s paintings invite the viewer to experience nature not as a static entity, but as a continuously unfolding mystery—one that captures fleeting moments while awakening wonder and introspection. His works are not mere depictions, but meditative explorations that resonate with emotional depth and philosophical inquiry.

Professor Sunil Kumar Saxena

This exhibition offers more than visual appreciation —it offers a contemplative passage. A journey into nature’s hidden harmonies, where the ephemeral becomes eternal, and the visible dissolves into the sublime......

 From: 9^th to 15^th September 2025

“IMMOVABLE BEAUTY”

Solo Show of Paintings

By

Well-known artist Prof. Sunil Saxena

 

VENUE:

Jehangir Art Gallery

161-B, M.G. Road

Kala Ghoda, Mumbai 400001

Timing: 11am to 7pm.

Mob.: +91 9415209709

 

Page 3 Mumbai

 

Soulscapes - WHERE THE INNER WORLD : MEETS THE CANVAS at Jehangir Art Gallery

 

 Bhavi Jhaveri, Arzan Khambatta and Umakant Tawde

 to 'Soulscapes,' where emerging artists and seasoned professionals come together in ways that feel genuinely fresh. There's something special about seeing these different perspectives side by side-the energy is infectious, and the work speaks for itself.  As a curator, I've loved watching how these artists push each other and challenge what we expect from contemporary art. Their stories. emotions, and insights come through in ways that feel both personal and universal...

14 ARTISTS: GROUP SHOW |

Abhay Sehgal / Afza Tamkanat / Falgunni Shah / Fawad Tamkanat / Kapil Anant / Manoj Jain / Neha Jhunjhunwala / Seju Shah / Shruti Jhaveri / Shruthi Challani / Sneha Sheth / Tejal Mehta / Umakant Tawde / Vivek Sharma /

Show curated  by Bhavi Jhaveri

Date: 2-8 / SEPT / 2025

About:Jehangir Art Gallery is an art gallery in Mumbai. It was founded by Sir Cowasji Jehangir at the urging of K. K. Hebbar and Homi J. Bhabha. It was built in 1952. Managed by the Committee of Management, the entire cost of this mansion was donated by Cowasji Jehangir. Wikipedia

Located in: Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya

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

Opened: 1952 / Phone: 022 2284 3989 / Hours:  11am to 7pm / Open ⋅ Closes 7 pm

A Celebration of Global Recognition - Ashish Irap’s Watercolor painting Exhibition at Jehangir Art Gallery

Indian watercolor artist Ashish Irap is set to showcase his latest works at the Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai, from 2nd to 8th September 2025. The exhibition brings together his internationally recognized pieces along with fresh creations that reflect his deep connection to the city and its culture.

Among the highlights is “Ganpati Aagman”, a vibrant depiction of the grand arrival of Lord Ganesha in Mumbai. The painting bursts with festive energy—the idol glowing in rich hues, devotees gathered in prayer, and the city’s historic and modern landmarks forming the backdrop. Through delicate washes and dynamic strokes, Irap captures not just the visual spectacle but the heartbeat of Ganeshotsav—the spirit of unity, devotion, and joy that defines Mumbai during the festival.

This exhibition comes at a time when Irap’s artistry has been earning international acclaim. His painting “A Wet Day”, portraying Mumbai’s CST. Station during the monsoon, was recently selected for the 45th International Exhibition of the San Diego Watercolor Society (SDWS), USA, qualifying him for the society’s coveted Signature Membership. This was his third consecutive selection by SDWS, a rare achievement that cements his place among the finest watercolorists globally.

His creative brilliance has also been recognized at the Greece Online International Juried Exhibition, where his cityscape “Drone Shoot” received a Merit Award. Meanwhile, his work “Birds’ Point of View” has earned him a place in the July 2025 issue of Splash-26 (USA), marking his third consecutive feature as a finalist in this prestigious international art magazine.

Adding to these honors, Irap also holds Signature Membership with the North East International Watercolor Society (USA), a recognition awarded after consecutive selections and two awards over three years.

Artist: Ashish Irap

Ashish Irap’s journey reflects both artistic mastery and cultural storytelling. His works breathe life into everyday moments and grand celebrations alike, carrying the soul of Mumbai onto the international stage. As his exhibition opens at Jehangir Art Gallery, it not only marks a milestone in his career but also a proud moment for Indian art.

From: 2nd to 8th September 2025"A Journey Through Light and Shadow"Art Exhibition by renowned artist Ashish Irap 

From: 2nd to 8th September 2025"A Journey Through Light and Shadow"

Art Exhibition by renowned artist *Ashish Irap* 

VENUE: Jehangir Art Gallery 161-B, M. G. Road

Kala Ghoda, Mumbai 400001, Timing: 11am to 7pm, Contact: +91 9869577309

#JehangirArtGallery #Ashish Irap

Tathi Premchand: The Drawing Books of a Restless Vision

Tathi Premchand’s art carries the restless pulse of Mumbai, the city he has lived and worked in since 1990. Within its crowded trains, humid air, and endless movements of people, he has found a school larger than any formal institute—a living archive of gestures, forms, and emotions. Out of this energy came not only canvases and digital series, but also one of his most enduring contributions: the drawing books, a lifelong project that began in 2005 and has grown into a monumental body of over a thousand drawings.

My Art in Books…

The drawing books are not mere sketchpads; they are intimate laboratories of thought and form. Premchand treats them as companions in which every line is a search for essence. Unlike conventional portfolios, these books are not bound by singular themes but move fluidly between nature studies, non-object abstraction, figurative explorations, and experimental mark-making. They embody the artist’s philosophy that drawing is not preparation for painting—it is painting itself, stripped to its raw bones.

From his early days, Premchand was inspired by the classical discipline of Ajanta and Ellora, where ancient murals and sculpted lines held rhythm, proportion, and the mysterious continuity of human imagination. This influence shows in his careful studies of form, especially in his nude model drawings and miniature-inspired compositions. His watercolour series reveal a softer side of his practice, where fluid washes explore transparency and impermanence, contrasting the dense, energetic strokes of his charcoal and ink sketches.

Across the drawing books, one discovers a constant shifting between representational and non-representational imagery. Scientific diagrams coexist with lyrical abstractions; a sketch of a snail’s spiral might lead to a meditation on cosmic proportions; a hurried commuter’s posture is transfigured into a study of movement. By refusing to privilege one category over another, Premchand’s books create an encyclopaedia of vision, where everyday life merges seamlessly with philosophical inquiry.

Technically, his approach to medium is expansive. Charcoal, ink, spray paint, pencil, colour pastel, and watercolour all find their place. He experiments with surfaces, layering, and even the geometry of composition itself. Many of his layouts are based on the golden ratio, with graph paper often serving as a subtle guide beneath the forms. This interplay of mathematical order and expressive gesture gives the drawings their unique tension—between calculation and spontaneity, structure and freedom.

Thematically, nature plays a central role. His graphic drawings of plants, animals, and natural textures are less about representation and more about distilling rhythm. He has described snails, shells, and other organic forms as metaphors for life’s fragility and endurance. Alongside these studies, his non-object drawings push into pure abstraction, questioning what remains when reference is stripped away. In his sketchbooks, these two streams run parallel, sometimes crossing in hybrid works that are both suggestive and enigmatic.

Equally important is his engagement with the human body. His nude model studies are not academic exercises but explorations of vulnerability, sensuality, and strength. They recall his larger thematic interest in gender and identity, where man and woman appear as mirrors, opposites, and necessary counterparts. Even in quick graphite sketches, one can sense his fascination with balance—of weight, of presence, of emotional undertone.

The books also hold miniature-style drawings, intricate yet contemporary, revealing his ability to compress vast ideas into small formats. Other sections feel almost scientific—what he sometimes calls “scientist drawings”—where lines dissect and analyse phenomena with the precision of diagrams. This duality, of art as both poetic and analytical, has become a signature of his drawing practice.

Over time, the drawing books have become more than private journals; they are an evolving archive of an artist’s mind. Unlike his canvases, which eventually travel into collectors’ homes, the books retain their unity, preserving years of experiments within their bound pages. Premchand has often remarked that his works only truly come alive once they leave the studio, but the drawing books challenge that idea—they remain alive even in their unfinished, ongoing form, each page a fragment of a larger continuum.

Today, with more than a thousand drawings collected across these volumes, the project stands as both a personal diary and a public statement. It is a reminder that drawing is not secondary but foundational, that the act of sketching is as much about thinking as it is about seeing. In the restless scrawls, delicate washes, and carefully measured lines, we encounter the full spectrum of Premchand’s artistic inquiry—discipline and play, observation and invention, silence and protest.

Artist Studio: 30/32, 2nd Floor, Deval Chambers, Nanabhai Lane, Flora Fountain Fort, Mumbai -400001 Maharashtra – India – Plant Earth

Tathi Premchand’s drawing books reveal an artist who never stops searching. They are less a record of what has been completed and more a map of what is still possible. In them, we find not just the history of one man’s vision, but also a mirror of the city, the culture, and the timeless human impulse to draw as a way of understanding life itself.

Text by Art Bloagazine Team

Artist Studio: 30/32, 2nd Floor, Deval Chambers, Nanabhai Lane,Flora Fountain Fort, Mumbai -400001 Maharashtra – India – Plant Earth

Shaping Bengal — A Landmark Tribute to Bengal’s Sculptural Legacy.

Shaping Bengal: A Brief Chronicle stands as a remarkable milestone in Indian art publishing. For the first time, a single volume brings together a thoroughly researched and richly illustrated documentation of over 150 years of Bengal’s sculptural journey. Written by art historian and critic Mrinal Ghosh, and introduced by Professor R. Siva Kumar, one of the country’s foremost authorities on Indian modernism, the book offers an in-depth reflection on the evolving aesthetics, practices, and philosophies that have shaped sculptural art in Bengal.

What makes this book truly invaluable is its sweeping coverage of generations of sculptors—from the early academic influences and modernist pioneers to women sculptors, environmental interventions, and experimental contemporary practices. The narrative thoughtfully interweaves the work and context of legendary figures like Ramkinkar Baij, Ajit Chakravarty, Somnath Hore, Meera Mukherjee, and Mrinalini Mukherjee, among many others. It highlights not only their individual contributions but also the socio-cultural forces that shaped their artistic expression. The book also gives due attention to the lesser-documented sculptors and public artworks that have transformed Bengal’s visual culture but have seldom been archived in any formal publication.

Published by Aakriti Art Gallery as part of its 20th-anniversary celebrations, this limited edition of only 500 copies serves as both a collector’s gem and a scholarly resource. Over the past two decades, Aakriti has consistently supported Indian modern and contemporary art, and Shaping Bengal emerges as one of its most meaningful tributes—an effort to preserve, celebrate, and critically examine the rich sculptural traditions of Bengal.

Elegantly designed, the book’s cover features a selection of iconic works that reflect the depth and diversity of Bengal’s sculptural imagination. It is more than a chronicle—it is a curated memory, a visual archive, and a testament to the enduring vitality of form and material in Bengal’s cultural narrative. Shaping Bengal is destined to become a foundational text for collectors, researchers, students, and institutions invested in the history of Indian art.

Aakriti Art Gallery (A unit of Chisel Crafts Pvt. Ltd.)

Orbit Enclave, First Floor 12/3A,

Hungerford Street Kolkata-700 017

https://www.aakritiartgallery.com/

E-Mail : art.aakriti@gmail.com

Time Suspended: The Quiet Power of Pradip Maitra

There is a quietude that permeates the canvases of Pradip Maitra—an arresting stillness that neither demands attention nor relinquishes it. Born in 1959, Maitra has spent decades cultivating a language of painting that resists noise and spectacle. Instead, his works exhale a soft, unhurried breath, inviting the viewer into moments of introspection, memory, and emotional resonance. Educated at the Indian College of Art & Draftsmanship in Kolkata, his foundational training in academic realism is ever-present, yet his treatment of form transcends formalism.

Artist: Pradip Maitra

Maitra’s visual grammar leans into solitude and silence. Figures appear enveloped in soft shadows or emerge from textured fields, suspended between presence and absence. In this delicate tension lies the artist’s power—each composition acts as a portal, leading viewers into quiet territories of thought, longing, or even unresolved grief. There are no grand gestures, no overt narratives. Yet the emotive weight of his paintings lingers long after first viewing.

His works, often rendered in subdued tones and layered textures, mirror the layered nature of inner life. Light is never simply illumination; it becomes metaphor—of consciousness, of divinity, or simply of time slipping through the cracks of daily existence. In a world that celebrates immediacy and volume, Maitra’s paintings return us to the slow and the essential.

Over the years, his art has found home in discerning collections across India and abroad, appreciated by those who value subtlety over spectacle. Each painting is not merely an object of beauty but a space for contemplation—a moment suspended in time, quietly powerful, and profoundly human.

Artist represented 

by Aakriti Art Gallery

Address: Orbit Enclave, 12/3a, Picasso Bithi, Mullick Bazar, Park Street area, Kolkata, West Bengal 700017, Phone: 033 2289 3027

“ANISOTROPIC” An Exhibition of Paintings by 3 well-known artists from Andhra Pradesh in Jehangir Art Gallery

A  group show that depicts non uniformity in unity .

various styles , emotions and ideologies come together  as one narrative !

 

Anisotropic, where non-uniformity meets uniformity, a heartfelt event group show of 3 artists from Andhra Pradesh. Anisotropic is more than   just an art exhibition — it’s a beautiful reunion of us !

Raki Rao

RAKI, or Rama Krishna Donga, a Chennai-based artist from Palakol, Andhra Pradesh, will showcase his Fusion Art at the ANISOTROPIC group exhibition at Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai, from August 19th to 25th, 2025. Self-taught but mentored by stalwarts like Ankaiah and Sri Rajavelu, RAKI has 40 years of experience, including assisting a well-known South Indian artist and associating with prominent groups like Guntur Pandavas and Kalapeetham of Andhra Pradesh. His artistic career, which began in 1985, later evolved to include modern abstract styles, blending cubism with traditional themes. This unique style, characterized by a symbiosis of modern techniques and a traditional foundation, is referred to as Fusion Art. RAKI holds a Diploma in Painting from SDKK College of Fine Art, Chennai. He has served as Vice President of the Tamil Nadu Arts and Crafts Improvement Association (2017-2019) and Cultural Secretary for Andhra Pradesh & Telangana State at Sri Dharshini Group of Institutions (2018-2019). He also founded the VAPA-BAPU Art Association. RAKI has earned 16 awards in major South Indian competitions and participated in over 35 exhibitions.

Boddeti Suryanarayana

Boddeti Suryanarayana is a retired Drawing Teacher. He has been producing wonderful paintings and works of Art. He is well-known all over India and also abroad. He has won several awards both at state and national level. The style of his art is realistic and deals with the lives of the Primitive Tribal Groups.

Boddeti Suryanarayana goes back to his boyhood days when he spent his days among the PTGs, as his elder brother was working in the Girijan Co-operative Corporation, Visakhapatnam District located in Paderu, Chinthapalli and Aruku Valley. His keen observation of their lives became the subject of his art of painting. He is a unique painter because nobody has touched this subject so far. His experiences of his early days with the PTGs brought him recognition at the national level and resulted in getting awards and name and fame.

The tribal communities in the Visakha Agency have a rich history, marked by unique cultural practices and distinct social structures. These groups, including the Bagata, Kotiya, Konda Dora, and others, have traditionally inhabited the hilly and forest regions of the Eastern Ghats.

The Khond, Porja and Gadaba are identified as “Primitive Tribal Groups” (PTGs). They depend on Podu cultivation, forest produce collection, carpentry and black smithing for their livelihood.

Mr.Boddeti Suryanarayana mingled with these Primitive Tribal Groups to study their life style. His paintings emerge out of his realistic study of their day-to-day life.

 

 

Diana

Ms. DIANA , from Andhra Pradesh, is a passionate Educator, writer, art therapist, and  folk artist with 24 years of experience in the field of Art.  She is a multidisciplinary artist  who  practices a unique Art form called the Deccani scrolls  which is quintessential to Andhra and Telangana state , where she grew up !  Her vibrant works—encompassing textiles, murals, natural stone and clay colors , and community-based installations—reclaim indigenous and matriarchal histories.

She is a versatile artist who has done immersive residencies on batik from Indonesia  , natural dying from Mysore  and ceramics from chennai .Through intricate clay vessels, vibrant batik tapestries, and plant-based dyes, she explores themes of cultural motifs  and environmental connection. Additionally, she has completed an art therapy course and conducts successful therapy sessions for individuals and corporate clients who need help with depression and anxiety .

Currently, Diana works at KIDS Central High Cambridge International School, where she is deeply committed to fostering community connections through art.

12th to 18th August 2025

“Meditative Echoes”

An Exhibition of Paintings by Dinesh Kumar Parmar

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VENUE: Jehangir Art Gallery, 161-B, M.G. Road

Kala Ghoda, Mumbai 400001,Timing: 11am to 7pm

Contact: +91 8830708819

The Symbolic Language of Artists | Sweety Joshi and Sanjay Sawant

 

There’s no limit to how forms emerge in art — through lines, colours, or the stroke of a brush. By soaking a cloth in colour and pressing it onto paper or canvas, or even by burning the paper itself. Sometimes it’s about pouring colours across the surface, or dipping fingers — or any object — into colour and spreading the pigments. Or through some other method — the forms appear; they are brought to life. But a technique, however inventive or unconventional, truly bears fruit only when the artist uses it as a means of genuine expression, of search or exploration—not merely as an ‘experiment’ for experiment’s sake.

Dadiba Pundole | Sweety Joshi and Sanjay Sawant

In the works of the artist duo Sanjay Sawant and Sweety Joshi, the first thing we notice is precisely this: the forms and abstractions have emerged from a deep penchant for exploration, an instinct to ‘seek’, expressed in different ways—from burning paper to soaking it. These are not contrived ‘experiments’, but are ‘utilisation’ of various approaches, to churn the mind, memory, thought, and understanding, often in response to a sudden instinctual spark. These emerged organically in the course of creation, so they carry feelings and substance.

Recent works by Sanjay Sawant

Sanjay Sawant: Letters That Never Arrivedb in painting, our first attempt to recognize, make sense of, or appreciate any artist’s expression is usually through the forms or images they create—or rather, that are created ‘through’ them. The artworks in this exhibition suggest that the methods or techniques Sanjay Sawant has used to bring forth these forms are, in themselves, revelations of the very essence of the works. They reveal that these methods were used to reach an inner stir, a swelling of emotion, some subtle ‘wound’ or sensation—captured with remarkable precision. That is what makes these works feel so honest. They impart some subtle realisations, certain sensibilities, layers of awareness.
Here, the search isn’t merely for the lost or undelivered letters—metaphors for memory itself—but also for those memories that were never fully registered. There’s an unmistakable sense that in the rush of modern life, if we never reconnect with our inner self, we risk losing much—perhaps the very essence of what it means to live. And what, after all, is the essence of life? To savour and appreciate beauty, to nurture sensory experiences, and when we are wounded, to pause, reflect, examine, grapple with it, and evolve. In these works, the use of mixed media is like a net cast wide—to catch bhava sthitis—the shifting tides of feeling and emotion. The droplets, perforations, textures, and the soft hum of colours carry echoes of our times, of bygone memories, and hopeful, spirited raginis that are yet to be heard.

Recent works by Sweety Joshi

Sweety Joshi: Lines That Weave Time and Space Sweety’s lines weave and entwine time and space in their own unique rhythm. With these lines, she seems to embark on a journey through emotional terrains, marking the halts and transitions along the way. Her lines reflect a deep, immersive commitment to her craft. And the ‘books’ they have created —veiled in indistinct forms hiding ‘letters’. These signs seem to invite us, suggesting that by engaging with them, we can also compose and read our own books. As we engage with her work, we find ourselves reading two texts at once—one before us, and the other nestled quietly within us. These inner texts, awakened by her works, encourage us to reveal their truths.

Another notable aspect in both Sweety and Sanjay’s work is the fragility of the material itself. Their materials are delicate, almost ephemeral—so soft, so breakable, they seem to say: “Handle with care, I might crumble at your touch. Observe us gently.” Of course, we know every effort has been made to strengthen the artworks and make them durable—but the look of the material evokes a softness, a sense of fragility. Because of this ‘look,’ a layer of sensitivity settles within us—somewhat fluid, somewhat crumbly, somewhat delicate—and it subtly alters our usual way of seeing. We must also speak of the beauty present in these works, a beauty that is wholly their own, not superimposed. As a result, our perception/appreciation of that beauty is of a very different kind—intimate, unforced.

Sanjay and Sweety’s creations reach out to the viewer with a deep sense of familiarity and warmth. One reason for this sense of closeness is the way the narratives—expressed through their forms—gently touch us. They awaken something unexpected within us, stir something forgotten. It feels as though something had gone missing from our midst, and now we too must search for and reclaim it. As we view these works, something tender, lilting and compassionate stirs within us—we begin to see the works, and ourselves, anew. Some human essence—some quiet truth—begins to awaken and expand within us once more.

Prayag Shukla | Sweety Joshi and Sanjay Sawant

Prayag Shukla
Poet & Art Critic

“CRADLE OF MYSTERY AND ECHOES OF THE SOUL”
Twin solos by Sweety Joshi and Sanjay Sawant
at
Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai
20th to 26th May 2025

“Shapes of Joy”(Patake) Solo Show of Paintings by artist Asha Anil Phadatare in Jehangir Art Gallery

 

From: 11^th to 17^th August 2025

“Shapes of Joy”(Patake)

An Art Exhibition by contemporary artist Asha Anil Phadatare

 

VENUE:

Jehangir Art Gallery

161-B, M.G. Road

Kala Ghoda, Mumbai 400 001

11am to 7pm

Contact: +91 7020742930