SHOWKEEN MUMBAI 2026

ShowKeen Mumbai 2026 presented a focused selection of paintings, sculptures and mixed media works by key voices in Modern and Contemporary Indian art. Held at the Nehru Centre and presented by AstaGuru, the exhibition brought together practices across generations, tracing shifts in form, material and artistic approach.

RAM KUMAR

Ram Kumar’s practice evolved from early figurative works to deeply contemplative abstraction, shaped by his engagement with post-independence India. His paintings, marked by muted palettes and structured forms, reflect a quiet exploration of urban landscapes and inner states.

SAKTI BURMAN

Sakti Burman’s practice draws from memory, mythology and personal history, articulated through a layered visual language. His works, often resembling aged frescoes, present dreamlike figures and narratives that bridge childhood recollection with imagined worlds.

MANJIT BAWA

Manjit Bawa’s practice is defined by a distinct approach to figuration, using flat colour fields and simplified forms. His works, centred on mythological and spiritual themes, reflect a controlled visual language shaped by Indian miniatures and Sufi philosophy.

N S BENDRE

N S Bendre’s practice spans landscape, portraiture and abstraction, shaped by travel and academic training. His works, marked by evolving styles from impressionism to modernist experimentation, reflect a sustained engagement with colour, form and environment.

SITAL CHANDRA BANDYOPADHYAY

Sital Chandra Bandyopadhyay’s practice centres on devotional themes, reinterpreting traditional imagery through a personal lens. His works, often depicting Krishna in varied narratives, reflect a visual language rooted in popular culture and regional dissemination.

SADANAND BAKRE

Sadanand Bakre’s practice bridges sculpture and painting, shaped by his role in early Indian modernism. His works, marked by distortion and abstraction, explore the human figure through geometric structures and a distinctly sculptural approach to composition.

BIMAL DASGUPTA

Bimal Dasgupta’s practice traces a shift from landscape to abstraction, informed by philosophical inquiry. His works, often exploring cosmic and elemental themes, reflect a restrained palette and a visual language shaped by experimentation and introspection.

VINOD SHARMA

Vinod Sharma’s practice centres on landscape, informed by direct observation and memory. His works, marked by subtle colour and quiet compositions, reflect an attempt to translate lived experience into a calm and meditative visual language.

PRABHAKAR KOLTE

Prabhakar Kolte’s practice is grounded in abstraction, shaped by intuition and sustained exploration of material. His works, defined by layered surfaces and fluid forms, reflect a contemplative approach to colour, space and inner experience.

MAHIRWAN MAMTANI

Mahirwan Mamtani’s practice engages with constructivism, philosophy and Tantra, articulated through geometric structures. His works, often centred on the idea of ‘Centro vision’, explore perception, identity and multiple states of consciousness.

SUHAS BHUJBAL

Suhas Bhujbal’s practice draws from early exposure to artisanal craftsmanship in rural Maharashtra and formative years in Pune. His works span architecture, cityscapes, and figuration, shaped by observation, travel, and everyday life.

NIREN SENGUPTA

Niren Sengupta’s paintings reflect spiritual inquiry and inner thought, shaped by his academic training and long teaching career. His works are marked by a quiet visual language that expresses introspection, emotion, and a sense of calm.

CHINTAN ZALAVADIA

Chintan Zalavadia’s practice is shaped by everyday observation and humour, using stylised figuration to explore human relationships. His works, marked by exaggerated features and satire, reflect a distinct visual language rooted in lived experience and popular culture.

MEETALI SINGH

Meetali Singh’s practice centres on introspection and self-inquiry, approached through a refined graphic language. Her works avoid fixed narratives, instead engaging with personal thought processes, where painting becomes a means to explore identity beyond defined socio-political contexts.

CHERU FRANCIS JOHN

John’s works explore spirituality and human emotion through expressive surface treatment.

K S RADHAKRISHNAN

K S Radhakrishnan’s sculptures are noted for their immediacy and robust, ritualistic figures that draw from performance and Hindu mythology, often rendered in materials such as bronze, beeswax and plaster of Paris.

S H RAZA

S H Raza’s work brought together modern abstraction and Indian spiritual thought, most notably through his Bindu motif, which symbolised the cosmic centre and became central to his visual language.

GANESH PYNE

Ganesh Pyne’s paintings evolved from watercolour to tempera, developing a distinctive visual language marked by skeletal forms, dark tonalities and recurring motifs that explored themes of life, death and memory.

ANJOLIE ELA MENON

Anjolie Ela Menon’s practice is characterised by translucent layers of oil paint, drawing from medieval Christian iconography while exploring themes of distance, loss and the female form through a muted, luminous palette.

JAYASRI BURMAN

Jayasri Burman’s works, often rendered in watercolour, depict mythical narratives through vibrant colours and hybrid figures, blending human and animal forms with a focus on feminine imagery.

JOGEN CHOWDHURY

Jogen Chowdhury’s work is distinguished by sinuous lines, crosshatched textures and expressive figures, often set in enigmatic spaces that reflect themes of social reality, tension and quiet resilience.

TYEB MEHTA

Tyeb Mehta’s paintings reflect a synthesis of modernist approaches and Indian themes, with later works focusing on mythological subjects and iconic figures rendered through a stark, powerful visual language.

BAL CHHABDA

Bal Chhabda’s practice navigated between abstraction and figuration, creating fluid compositions while also playing a significant role as a gallerist and patron in shaping modern Indian art.

AKBAR PADAMSEE

Akbar Padamsee’s oeuvre spans figures, metascapes and digital works, combining spirituality, mathematical precision and a deep engagement with light to create meditative and introspective compositions.

SATISH GUJRAL

Satish Gujral’s multidisciplinary practice encompassed painting, sculpture, murals and architecture, reflecting a pursuit of a distinctly Indian modernism shaped by personal experience and cultural narratives.

BIKASH BHATTACHARJEE

Bikash Bhattacharjee’s work blends realism with psychological intensity, portraying figures within urban settings to explore identity, social tension and the complexities of modern life.

AMIT AMBALAL

Amit Ambalal’s paintings, primarily in watercolour, depict scenes drawn from religious traditions and everyday life, often infused with satire and a sense of narrative play.

PHANEENDRA NATH CHATURVEDI

Phaneendra Nath Chaturvedi’s works present skeletal, anthropomorphic figures that critique contemporary society, exposing themes of artificiality and corruption through stark and provocative imagery.

TOM VATTAKUZHY

Tom Vattakuzhy’s paintings evoke quiet domestic scenes shaped by memory and migration, using subtle light and atmosphere to reflect solitude and emotional absence.

OMPAL SANSANWAL

Ompal Sansanwal’s works are characterised by layered compositions and vibrant hues, used to depict expansive themes through a richly textured and expressive visual language.

Modern & Contemporary Indian Art at Nehru Centre

Presented by AstaGuru

ShowKeen returned to Mumbai with its recent edition, an exhibition that brought together significant works by leading voices in Modern and Contemporary Indian art. The presentation reflected the breadth of India’s artistic landscape, spanning periods, practices, and perspectives.

An Experience Shaped for Attention

ShowKeen Mumbai presented each work within a setting designed for considered viewing, allowing form, material, and artistic intent to be experienced with clarity. A restrained curatorial approach created space for deeper engagement, inviting reflection on the dialogues between modern and contemporary practices.

A Moment to Engage with Indian Art

Set within the Nehru Centre in Worli, the Mumbai edition offered a focused encounter with works spanning decades of Indian art-making, from iconic modernist expressions to dynamic contemporary perspectives. The presentation brought together audiences for a two-day showcase, offering an opportunity to experience Indian art with intention and presence.

Panel Discussions