Flower Sutra by Manu Parekh

An Exhibition by Manu Parekh

It is not possible to separate Manu Parekh and Banaras. Like Ram Kumar, he has been painting the various dimensions of Banaras for years. Both the physical and spiritual aspects of Banaras are visible in his art. Recently, his solo exhibition was held at Nature Morte Gallery in Delhi, in which flowers are at the centre.

Nature Morte is pleased to present a new body of work, "Flower Sutra," by one of Delhi's most prolific senior painters. Continuing an artistic practice that began in the 1970s, Manu Parekh shows no signs of slowing down or resting on his laurels. The exhibition of works on canvas and paper created in the past few years is evidence of a mind that continues to challenge how the heart can come together with the hands to create works of passion and bravura.

In his latest works, Parekh continues his lifelong engagement with dualities: order and chaos, stillness and movement, creation and decay. A painter attuned to life’s energies, he channels these tensions into compositions that pulse with rhythm and contrast. Energy is central to Parekh’s practice, made visible through his brushstrokes. Layers build upon each other: thick impasto meets delicate washes, jagged lines cut through fluid colour, creating a surface that hums with spontaneity and intention. His paintings don’t just depict movement; they embody it, drawing the viewer into their restless depths. Rather than impose order, Parekh embraces flux. His brushwork reveals movement, capturing the restless energy that animates both nature and human experience.

Manu Parekh, Madhavi Parekh and Nupur Kundu

Amitava Das, Madhavi Parekh and Mona Roy

Uma Shankar Pathak, P R Daroz and Sambit Panda

Suraj Kumar Kashi and Uma Shankar Pathak

Flowers, a recurring motif across cultures, anchor his work in a broader artistic lineage. In Indian miniatures, they symbolize abundance; in Dutch still life, transience. Here, they mark both change and continuity, dissolving and reforming within the painted surface. As Parekh has noted, "Where there is faith, there will be the presence of flowers. Life, birth, marriage, and death: flowers will be there. I have visited the Vatican, Ajmer, Nizamuddin Auliya's dargah, gurudwaras, and Banaras. There were only two things common to all these places: faith and flowers."

Dr. Ved Prakash Bhardwaj

(Photographs by Praveen Mahtoo)

Lal Bahadur Singh: Art in a social context

artist Lal Bahdur Singh with writer Dr. Ved Prakash Bhardwaj and artist mukesh Shah

Lal Bahadur Singh's art seems to be a powerful commentary on the conflict between urban development and nature, highlighting not just a critique, but also a vision for a more balanced future. The way he incorporates birds and other elements of nature into his work, particularly the symbolism of their diminishing space in urban landscapes, is both poignant and thought-provoking. His installation made of cloth, symbolizing the relationship between food grains and birds, beautifully weaves together nature’s interdependence with human systems, offering a glimpse into a more harmonious coexistence.

The idea that development, particularly in metropolises, often comes at the expense of natural systems and wildlife is something that resonates deeply. The imagery of birds in his paintings—whether perched in the spaces between brick walls or hovering over piles of construction material—creates a stark visual representation of this tension between progress and nature. You can almost feel the suffocating effect of urban expansion on life, both human and non-human, which Lal Bahadur Singh critiques so effectively through his art.

What strikes me as particularly powerful is how his art does not just present a problem; it also proposes solutions. The organic city and organic home depicted in his work are more than just artistic visions—they’re potential blueprints for a more sustainable future. It’s a rare and refreshing approach where art doesn’t just highlight a crisis but urges us to think about ways to navigate out of it. His solo exhibition is currently going on at Bikaner House, New Delhi from 4th to 9th April 2025. This exhibition has been organized by Gallerie Navya.

Triveni Kala Sangam Sculpture Department Show

For art creation, an environment is required more than training. This environment can be the external world or the inner world of a person. However, for art creation, the internal environment is more critical, and vision, sensitivity, emotions, thoughts, etc. are more important. When this inner world meets the external world, then an artist comes out shining. This external world is the art institute and fellow artists. Triveni Kala Sangam is an institute that has turned 75 years old but still seems young. This institute has a craft department where such people come to learn craft art who never got an opportunity for it. Such people include people engaged in administrative and defence services, and also their family members. Dr. Kosal Kumar Sharma teaches such people to master various forms of craft. On the foundation day of Triveni Kala Sangam, a group exhibition of these students is going on in the craft court there these days. On the evening of 6 April 2025, I got the opportunity to see this exhibition and talk to many artists. These artists have given concrete form to their feelings and thoughts through mediums like Metal, Fiber, Ceramic, etc. The crafts displayed are impressive. The difference in the work of these artists even while working together can be called the specialty of their art.