This collection of minimalist black and white images features an array of weathered rocks and stones, meticulously captured against a dark background. The visual composition emphasizes the intricate textures, shapes, and subtle variations of each individual specimen, inviting the viewer to closely examine the natural forms. The artist's attention to detail and use of chiaroscuro lighting create a sense of intimacy and contemplation, encouraging the observer to appreciate the inherent beauty and uniqueness of these humble, geological elements. This work reflects the artist's fascination with the understated elegance found in the natural world. ...
Atul Bhalla delves into the many layers of water’s presence, from its physical flow to its historical and political echoes, revealing how it shapes both urban and natural landscapes. Working across photography, installation, sculpture, video, painting, and performance, he considers water’s presence in daily life, its symbolic meanings, and its role in shaping urban landscapes.
Bhalla’s work often engages with overlooked or neglected elements of metropolitan spaces, emphasizing the interplay between human activity, the environment, and cultural memory. Through careful observation and conceptual rigor, he highlights how natural resources, rituals, and social practices intersect, creating layered narratives that invite reflection on the human-environment relationship.
His approach is deeply research-driven, drawing on scientific, historical, and sociopolitical perspectives to inform his artistic interventions. Across media, Bhalla balances aesthetic experimentation with critical inquiry, producing works that are both visually compelling and intellectually rich, encouraging viewers to reconsider their relationship to space, resources, and the passage of time. ...
Founded in 1987, Vadehra Art Gallery is a pioneer of South Asian art, representing artists across four generations from the Indian Subcontinent and its diaspora, helping to shape it as a celebration of culture, identity and intellect. As a confidante to art history and a champion of contemporary creativity, the gallery nurtures a dynamic and flourishing ecosystem where the artist and their work take centre stage, promoting a legacy of artistic expression that resonates with global audiences.
The gallery is recognized for its early support of modern masters such as M.F. Husain, Ram Kumar, S.H. Raza, and Tyeb Mehta, alongside subsequent generations of post-modernists like Arpita Singh, A. Ramachandran, Nalini Malani, Gulammohammed Sheikh, and Rameshwar Broota. Its expansive contemporary programme emphasizes influential names such as Atul Dodiya, Shilpa Gupta, Anju Dodiya, N.S. Harsha, Gauri Gill and Sunil Gupta, as well as emerging talent like Zaam Arif, Biraaj Dodiya and Ashfika Rahman. ...
