The upcoming solo exhibition, “Horizons of Memory,” by artist Yashwant Deshmukh will be opening at New Delhi’s Art Alive Gallery on September 10th, inviting viewers into a world where emptiness speaks louder than presence, and where the absence of human figures paradoxically makes space for profound human connection.
The exhibition, running through September 30th, marks another chapter in Deshmukh’s ongoing exploration of what gallery director Sunaina Anand describes as “contemplative stillness.” But this is not stillness as stagnation—rather, it’s the dynamic quiet of spaces that hold memory, atmosphere, and the echoes of lived experience.
Artistic Vision
Deshmukh’s visual vocabulary centers on what he calls the “stark and bare appearance” of everyday objects—doors, crevices, architectural elements that most would overlook. Yet in his hands, these mundane forms undergo what he describes as a “meditative transformation,” emerging as abstract compositions that pulse with hidden life.
“It is not a nostalgic approach where he draws from memories of his childhood in the native place of Vidharbha,” the gallery notes, “but an intense fascination with the different layers, visual sensibility of objects and traces of his memory that surround him.” This distinction is crucial. Rather than romanticizing the past, Deshmukh treats memory as a living material, something to be read and expressed not as literal stories but as atmospheric experiences.
The artist’s connection to his native Vidharbha region infuses the work with a particular quality of light and space, but his approach transcends geographical specificity. His paintings speak to anyone who has ever felt the peculiar loneliness of empty rooms, the weight of abandoned spaces, or the strange comfort found in solitude.
Perhaps the most striking aspect of Deshmukh’s work is his deliberate exclusion of human figures. In these paintings, we encounter spaces that suggest habitation without inhabitants, shelter without occupants. This absence, far from creating alienation, becomes an invitation. As the gallery notes, “The absence of figures in his work furthers the contemplative stillness, allowing viewers to project their own presence into these spaces.”
Director Sunaina Anand emphasizes the exhibition’s role in creating “quiet yet evocative interior worlds.” In our current moment, when interior spaces have taken on new significance—as refuges, as prisons, as the stages for our most intimate experiences—Deshmukh’s exploration of architectural psychology feels particularly resonant.
Art Alive Gallery, founded in 2001, has built a reputation for presenting contemporary Indian art that engages with both local traditions and global conversations. Their support of Deshmukh’s work reflects their commitment to artists who push beyond easy categorization, who create what they describe as “aesthetically active visual experiences.”
Exhibition Details:
- Title: Horizons of Memory
- Artist: Yashwant Deshmukh
- Preview: Friday, September 10th, 2025
- Duration: September 10th – 30th, 2025
- Venue: Art Alive Gallery, S-221, Gamal Abdel Nasser Marg, Block S, Panchsheel Park, New Delhi – 110017
Image Courtesy: Art Alive gallery
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