Across the Spectrum: Material, Method, Meaning at India Art Fair

In a moment where contemporary art is defined less by a singular aesthetic and more by its diverse voices and techniques, 'Across the Spectrum: Material, Method, Meaning' brings together seven remarkable artists : Debiprasad Bhunia, Mayadhar Sahu, Nabibaksh Mansoori, Pragati Mathur, Sangam Vankhde, Sanjoy Patra, and Viraj Khanna whose practices reflect the expansive possibilities of medium, material, and meaning in today’s visual culture.

This exhibition proposes to create an immersive space where painting, sculpture, installation, abstraction, and mixed media not only co-exist but converse. The artists in this presentation reflect a contemporary ethos where the message is often inseparable from the medium, whether through Viraj Khanna’s vibrant use of embroidery and collage that challenges identity? and persona?, or Sangam Vankhde’s sculptural interventions using reclaimed wood, and metal to explore fragility and decay. Across their practices, experimentation is not an accessory but the very language of expression. .

The title 'Across the Spectrum' is both a literal and conceptual framework acknowledging the varied aesthetic approaches, material processes, and conceptual frameworks employed by the artists. The works range from deeply personal to socio-political, from poetic abstraction to material-based inquiries.

Rather than being organized around a single theme, the exhibition explores how technique, material, and process serve as foundations of meaning in contemporary art. Each artist, in their own way, pushes the boundaries of their chosen medium - be it through the manipulation of form, the layering of imagery, or the poetic subversion of material. For instance, Pragati Mathur’s handwoven installations transform soft materials like cloth and thread into immersive environments that challenge the division between craft and contemporary sculpture, offering a tactile experience that is both intimate and monumental.

Together, these works highlight how versatility in medium leads to versatility in message, as contemporary Indian artists navigate the intersections of the global and the local, the traditional and the experimental. At the heart of these practices lies a deep engagement with craft and technical skill, not as mere formal accomplishments, but as vehicles for innovation and layered meaning. Whether drawing from centuries-old textile traditions, architectural motifs, or digital interventions, each artist in the exhibition expands the language of their medium, challenging the boundaries of material, form, and narrative. This commitment to experimentation anchored in skill transforms technique into a site of conceptual inquiry and cultural reflection.