Gallery Pristine Contemporary in New Delhi opens its doors this September to Chromatic Currents, the first-ever solo exhibition in India by internationally celebrated Singaporean artist Kumari Nahappan. Curated by independent curator John Tung, the exhibition runs from 12 September to 30 October 2025, presenting an immersive journey through Nahappan’s three-decade practice where histories, mythologies, and cosmologies converge through colour, form, and material.
Shared Histories Across Seas
At the heart of Chromatic Currents lies a meditation on the ancient spice routes that linked India with Southeast Asia, carrying nutmeg, mace, and pepper across waters alongside cultural traditions, devotional imagery, and myths. Nahappan’s works resituate these shared legacies within contemporary vocabularies, transforming seeds, spices, and organic motifs into expansive canvases, sculptures, and installations.
Her aesthetic, deeply rooted in nature and cultural memory, finds resonance in India—where the migration of materials and ideas has historically shaped visual traditions. By bringing this dialogue to New Delhi, Nahappan connects her Malaysian and Singaporean roots back to a larger continuum of cultural exchange that India inhabits.
The Language of Colour
Colour, for Nahappan, is not mere pigment but a living force. Tung’s curatorial statement emphasizes its role as rhythm, vibration, and energy—an element that unifies seemingly disparate iconographies within her practice.
This exploration culminates in works like Pooja, a black-and-white spatial meditation honouring Chandra (Moon) and Shani (Saturn), where opposing chromatic poles signify both duality and unity. Cosmic Conches spiral outward as playful homages to the infinite cosmos, while Monument—originally conceived in 1996 and now reimagined—offers a sanctuary of turmeric, mirror, and fabric amidst contemporary urban landscapes. Situated at the entrance, Dance of Surya and Auld Lang Syne, created two decades apart, embody cycles of memory, renewal, and time.
From Public Icons to Intimate Encounters
Nahappan’s presence in Singapore’s cultural landscape is unmistakable. Saga at Changi Airport, Nutmeg & Mace at ION Orchard, and the 45-metre bronze mural Pembungaan at OUE Bayfront are monumental public works that have become part of the city’s identity. In New Delhi, however, audiences encounter her works anew—within an intimate gallery setting, where materiality, texture, and even scent become part of the sensorial experience.
Spanning painting, sculpture, and installation, her transformative practice embodies both the monumental and the meditative, drawing viewers into a universe where natural forms open pathways to reflections on spirituality, temporality, and interconnectedness.
A Global Practice Comes to India
Over the past three decades, Nahappan has exhibited widely at leading institutions including the Mori Art Museum (Tokyo), Seoul Art Centre, Museum Rudana (Bali), Museum der Kulturen (Basel), and Amsterdam’s Tropenmuseum. Her participation in major biennales, including the Venice Biennale collateral, affirms her status as one of Southeast Asia’s foremost contemporary voices.
Her recognition includes the Ksatria Seni Award (2004, Museum Rudana) and Artist of the Year at the Shanghai Art Fair (2011), honours that highlight her role in shaping global dialogues around art and culture. With Chromatic Currents, she turns that dialogue towards India for the very first time.
Curatorial Vision
Curator John Tung situates the exhibition at the intersection of history and contemporary practice. Known for his engagements with the Singapore Art Museum and Singapore Biennale, Tung brings his expertise in cross-cultural frameworks to connect Nahappan’s work with audiences in India.
In his words: “Chromatic Currents challenges us to reconsider colour not as a surface quality but as a structuring principle of experience. For Kumari, colour is felt, remembered, lived—it is a bridge between the sacred and the everyday.”
Pristine Contemporary’s Commitment
For Gallery Pristine Contemporary, founded in 2023 by Arjun Sawhney and Arjun Butani, presenting Nahappan’s first Indian solo signifies a commitment to building cultural bridges between India and the global art world. The exhibition affirms the gallery’s mission to showcase innovative voices while situating South Asian audiences within broader international currents of thought and form.
Exhibition Details
Exhibition: Chromatic Currents
Artist: Kumari Nahappan
Curator: John Tung
Dates: 12 September – 30 October 2025
Venue: Gallery Pristine Contemporary, A-178, C3 Ground Floor, Saini Bhavan, Bhishma Pitamah Marg, New Delhi – 110003
Timings: 10:30 AM – 6:00 PM, Monday to Friday (Saturdays by appointment)
Cover Image: Memory Card | Image courtesy: Kumari Nahappan
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