Impressions : A group exhibition by visual artists of Indian Railways

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If Indian Railways is about journeys, a few of its officers have embarked on another equally fascinating voyage–painting, and have distinguished themselves at that level.

“Impressions” is a group exhibition by visual artists and civil servants, namely, Bakhtiar Dadabhoy, Mukul Saran Mathur, Aashima Mehrotra, Krishnath S. Patil and Kuldeep Tiwari. The artworks of these artists will be displayed at the Visual Arts Gallery, India Habitat Centre, Lodhi Road, New Delhi during 14–18 June 2024.

The exhibition will be inaugurated on 14 June 2024 at 5:00 PM by Amb. Bhaswati Mukherjee, President, India Habitat Centre, with Smt. Jaya Varma Sinha, Chairman & CEO of #RailwayBoard as the Guest of Honour. It will be open for public viewing from 15–18 June 2024 (from 11 AM to 07 PM).

Impressions : Schedule

This exhibition focuses on the emotional and expressive qualities of form and colour with each artist conveying a particular mood or feeling. It celebrates the unique perspective and styles of each artist while exploring different themes or colour palettes. The paintings also delve into the world of abstract art pushing the boundaries of colour, shape and composition. The themes are designed to be flexible and inclusive allowing each artist to interpret and express a unique vision within a shared framework. The artists include Aashima Mehrotra who has numerous art shows to her credit. The medium of art ranges from water color, acrylic, oil to mixed media.

A brief profile of each artist is given below:

  1. #BakhtiarKDadabhoy, a former civil servant and the author of nine books, is a self-taught artist who started out painting in oil but switched to acrylic later on. His current oeuvre showcases abstract paintings inspired by the splendor of nature. The paintings capture the essence of the natural world, distilling its beauty into vibrant expressive works of art. His works evoke emotions, spark imagination and invite viewers to explore the intricate relationships between form, color and texture. Through bold brushstrokes and vivid colors his paintings bring the natural world to life in a way that is both deeply personal but also one with universal resonance.
  2. #MukulSaranMathur is a civil servant with the acumen for creativity, precision and an eye for details. His works cover a wide array of his experiences that amalgamate into expressions as a way to bring the natural world into the man made world which often encourages his audience to dwell about the environment, heritage and the social milieu surrounding life. His art encourages conversation about the synergy between nature and human existence and their profound impact on the development of society over time. Mukul’s preferred medium is watercolor and oil through which he expresses his endless stories of nature, love and harmony. While he loves the sheer simplicity of the medium of watercolors, he has also adopted oil painting with fervor and passion. His work in oil is a dialogue between color and form seeking harmony within the incessant tumult.
  3. #AashimaMehrotra is a visual artist and a civil servant based in Delhi. She had an intense interest in art since childhood. She was always inspired by people, nature and travel. Her job in Railways and Tourism helped her to explore the diversity of Indian towns and various art forms. She has participated in various international and national art competitions and exhibitions, and received awards at various platforms. She has recently collaborated on behalf of Railways with the Ministry of Culture for ideation and execution of installation made from scrap metal. All her works are a reflection of her experiences and personality. Today she is a visual artist with her own visual language and ‘ISM’.
  4. #KrishnathPatil’s works are a gift of his curious observation, deep knowledge and enthusiasm for art. He is a self trained artist who has delved deeply into the study and research of various methods, techniques and applications of painting. He is Inspired by a number of artists, the list of which is long and impressive. Yet, he has come up with a truly brilliant style of his own. It is surely not an exaggeration to say that his roles, both as an artist and as a civil servant, are almost inseparable and immortalize each other. He has command over his stylised techniques and methods with a lively imagination of fusing abstraction with nature. He is amazing with marvelous dense and luminous colors. He had several group shows and a solo show to his credit with a futuristic approach towards art, and he describes his art as a platform to search for truth of love and peace.
  5. #KuldeepTiwari is a visual artist and civil servant working with Railways. He has been inspired by the varied expressions of nature. He mainly works in acrylic.

The magical brushes of B. K. Dadabhoy, Aashima Mehrotra, Mukul Saran Mathur, Krishnath S. Patil and Kuldeep Tiwari capture the diverse colors of existence in the multitude of space, time and rhythm of life.