India's oldest private art gallery, Dhoomimal Art Centre shows how folk meets contemporary art
Dhoomimal Art Centre's Myths & Memories exhibition features Shahid Parvez and Tanushree Chakraborty, showcasing a dialogue between nostalgia and storytelling.
New Delhi’s Dhoomimal Art Centre, India’s oldest private art gallery, brings together the evocative works of artists Shahid Parvez and Tanushree Chakraborty in its latest exhibition Myths & Memories, curated by Mohit Jain. The show, running from April 12 to April 17 at LTC, Bikaner House, Delhi, is a visual dialogue between nostalgia and storytelling, tradition and modernity.
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In an interaction with HT, the two artists were asked about their journey to becoming artists. Gallery director Mohit Jain says the idea behind curating Myths & Memories was to explore the visual conversation between two long-standing artists associated with Dhoomimal.
Inspirational Journey of Shahid Parvez
Shahid Parvez, whose paintings overflow with childlike wonder and layered textures, reflects on how his upbringing shaped his artistic voice. When asked about his inspirational journey, he says, “My father, Bashir Ahmad, is a painter and art teacher. Since childhood, that kind of atmosphere was present at home, and perhaps that’s what inspired my inclination towards art”.
Artworks of Shahid Parvez
When asked if his childhood memories will be shown in this exhibition, he says, “Freedom, the flight of imagination, playing with colours, innocence, simplicity—all these aspects are reflected directly or indirectly in the works. "
Parvez's artwork mostly includes layers and textures, as well as mixed media. When asked why he chose this form of art, he says, “If you look closely, layers are present everywhere in life. Sometimes, we can see them physically, and sometimes, we can only feel them. These layers fill the canvas with energy, and that energy fills me with inspiration.”
Inspirational Journey of Tanushree Chakraborty
Artist Tanushree Chakraborty's inspiration stems from her Santiniketan roots and the oral storytelling traditions of the Santhal tribe. Hence, she was raised with the stories and folktales of the Santhal tribe.
Artworks of Tanushree Chakraborty
Her work bridges the past with the present, using traditional symbols and body art forms within a modern aesthetic. “For those familiar with these ancestral motifs, the connections are felt intuitively. But for a modern audience, the appeal lies in the contemporary visual language I use—vivid colours, surreal figures, and layered narratives,” shares Tanushree.
Her personal favourite is Melodrama—Bioscope. She feels, “In Melodrama—Bioscope, I bring these stories to life through the lens of nostalgia, using the bioscope as a symbol of wonder and old-world storytelling. It bridges memory and myth, past and present.”
How do the two artists' artworks combine both Folk and Contemporary Art?
“Both artists draw deeply from traditional Indian art forms and cultural narratives, yet reframe them through a contemporary lens. Tanushree's work is rooted in tribal and folk inspirations like the Santhal and Kalighat traditions, but she reinterprets them with surreal forms, layered symbolism, and a refined visual language that speaks to today’s context. Shahid, on the other hand, takes everyday Indian experiences—often romantic or nostalgic—and renders them in a style that mimics childlike innocence, echoing folk aesthetics”, answers Mohit Jain.
Dhoomimal Art Centre's Myths & Memories exhibition will naturally engage visitors because it draws from shared cultural memories of human behaviours. Whether it’s a familiar story or a playful visual, there’s something personal for everyone to connect with.
