BackJuly 1, 2026 - July 7, 2026
Marking Sakshi Gallery's 40th year, Unfolding Narratives: Perspectives in Contemporary Indian Art showcases works by six artists: Amit Ambalal, Manjunath Kamath, Ravinder Reddy, Rekha Rodwittiya, Shine Shivan and Surendran Nair, who have, over many decades, shaped and redefined the contours of Indian contemporary art. A number of works have been created especially for the exhibition, offering audiences an insight into the artists' current directions and evolving practices.
Unfolding Narratives examines the evolving role of storytelling within contemporary artistic practice. Storytelling has been a cornerstone for Indian visual culture, from the past to the present. Historically, artisans devised ingenious narrative techniques to depict episodes from these tales at a time when art was closely tied to courtly patronage. Over time, these narrative modes become carriers of collective memory, inscribed within visual culture as a vehicle for moral and social messaging. They became a way for communities to find social cohesion, with these stories offering a framework to propagate ideas of duty and order.
However, in the field of contemporary art, these stories are no longer a fixed inheritance. Here, reverence gives way to interrogations, or re-imaginings of a new terrain, rewritten through both personal and political lenses. In the hands of these artists, the narrative becomes fertile ground for playful reflection, speculation, autobiographical impulse, feminist resistance and socio-political critique.
Unfolding Narratives examines the evolving role of storytelling within contemporary artistic practice. Storytelling has been a cornerstone for Indian visual culture, from the past to the present. Historically, artisans devised ingenious narrative techniques to depict episodes from these tales at a time when art was closely tied to courtly patronage. Over time, these narrative modes become carriers of collective memory, inscribed within visual culture as a vehicle for moral and social messaging. They became a way for communities to find social cohesion, with these stories offering a framework to propagate ideas of duty and order.
However, in the field of contemporary art, these stories are no longer a fixed inheritance. Here, reverence gives way to interrogations, or re-imaginings of a new terrain, rewritten through both personal and political lenses. In the hands of these artists, the narrative becomes fertile ground for playful reflection, speculation, autobiographical impulse, feminist resistance and socio-political critique.