Review / Dr Ved Prakash Bhardwaj
From 3 to 9 March 2026, the prestigious Jehangir Art Gallery will host Between Surface and Depth, a two-person exhibition by Delhi-based contemporary artists Bharati Verma and Ruchi Chadha. With artistic practices spanning nearly three decades, both artists have cultivated distinct yet philosophically resonant visual languages. Their works explore human experience, the philosophy of nature, and the layered dimensions of existence through deeply contemplative painterly approaches.
The exhibition title is not merely metaphorical; it
articulates the shared conceptual ground of their practices. Surface and
depth—form and formlessness—visibility and invisibility—these dualities
structure the curatorial premise. Between these polarities unfolds the
continuous movement of life itself.
 Painting by Ruchi Chadha
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Nature appears expansive and open in its outward
manifestation, yet inwardly it is layered and enigmatic. The same dynamic
shapes human existence. The human being—man or woman—inhabits multiple strata,
negotiating constantly between social frameworks and interior consciousness.
This interplay between the visible and the concealed finds compelling
expression in the distinct artistic vocabularies of the two artists.
Through the imagery of the lotus and the submerged
aquatic world, Ruchi Chadha explores the philosophical unfolding of life.
Through symbolic renderings of the human body, Bharati Verma reveals the
interior landscape of inner experience. Together, their works create a dialogue
between external nature and internal truth.
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| Painting by Bharti Verma |
The Inner Geography of the human
In Bharati Verma’s paintings, the human figures
occupy a central presence—yet not in a literal or portrait-like manner. The
human body appears as a symbolic structure rather than a descriptive form.
Faces are frequently absent, veiled, or indistinct. This erasure is not a
stylistic gesture alone; it reflects a social condition.
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| Painting by Bharti Verma |
In many contexts, a human’s independent identity
remains circumscribed by prescribed roles and inherited expectations. The
obscured face becomes a metaphor for a presence simultaneously visible and
erased. The curvature and torsion of bodies in her compositions suggest
psychological and social burdens rather than mere physical movement. Bent and
interwoven, these forms evoke compressed emotion—bodies bearing the weight of
lived experience.
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| Painting by Bharti Verma |
Her figures rarely exist in isolation. They appear
intertwined, overlapping, and merging into one another. This visual interlacing
signals shared experience. Human struggle, though deeply personal, is also
collective. Through bodies that support, lean into, and dissolve within one
another, individuality expands into a broader social condition.
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| Painting by Bharti Verma |
Her restrained palette—dominated by greys, deep
blacks, and mineral blues—intensifies the emotional atmosphere. The
monochromatic tonality creates a sense of silence and gravity. Layers of
pigment and textured surfaces render the canvas enigmatic, almost puzzle-like.
The viewer is offered no immediate interpretive key; engagement demands
patience and introspection.
Ultimately, these works transcend depiction. They function as threshold spaces—sites where memory, endurance, vulnerability, and self-inquiry converge. The body moves beyond fixed gender identity to become a vessel of shared human experience.
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| Painting by Ruchi Chadha |
Water, Life, and the Will to
Bloom
In Ruchi Chadha’s practice, the lotus serves as a
central motif, yet it extends beyond its traditional associations with purity
and spiritual awakening. Rather than emphasising only the blossom that rises
above water, she directs attention to the unseen world beneath the surface.
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| Painting by Ruchi Chadha |
Her canvases reveal submerged stems, aquatic
plants, fish, and the diffused luminosity of underwater space. In certain
compositions, the lotus appears to bloom within the water itself, subtly
inverting conventional spatial expectations. This inversion offers a profound
insight: growth is not solely an upward ascent; it is equally a descent into
inner depth.
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| Painting by Ruchi Chadha |
The half-bloomed lotus carries as much meaning as
the fully opened flower. The former suggests potential, becoming, and
anticipation; the latter conveys fulfilment and confidence. Through this
duality, the artist underscores life as a continuous process rather than a
fixed culmination.
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| Painting by Ruchi Chadha |
The aquatic elements in her paintings are not
ornamental. They constitute an ecological network that sustains the lotus.
Beauty, she intimates, does not emerge in isolation; it arises through
invisible interdependencies. This vision resonates strongly with contemporary ecological
consciousness, positioning nature as an interconnected web of coexistence.
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| Painting by Ruchi Chadha |
Light and shadow further amplify the philosophical
dimension. The muted depths below and the relative luminosity above construct a
visual metaphor for consciousness—an ascent from obscurity toward illumination.
The upward movement of the lotus stem becomes a quiet emblem of resilience and
self-transcendence.
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| Painting by Ruchi Chadha |
Thus, her lotus-centred works move beyond
aesthetic celebration to articulate a meditation on interconnectedness, perseverance,
and the journey from darkness toward light.
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| Painting by Bharti Verma |
A Dialogue Between Surface and
Depth
Viewed together, these two artistic visions reveal
a compelling parallel. One renders life’s philosophy through aquatic depth; the
other charts emotional and existential terrain through the symbolic body. In
one, the lotus rises from shadow toward illumination; in the other, silent
figures search for identity within obscurity.
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| Painting by Ruchi Chadha |
In both practices, the visible surface unfolds into
an interior landscape. Form gradually dissolves into essence; silence acquires
voice; beauty carries within it struggle.
The dialogue between surface and depth—outer nature
and inner consciousness—defines the curatorial spirit of this exhibition. Art
here is not merely an object of sight but a medium of reflection—an invitation
to perceive life in its fullness, complexity, and quiet resilience.
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