A solo exhibition celebrating playful visual language, folk roots, and contemporary expression runs from May 30 to June 28, 2025
Gallerie Nvya proudly presents ‘Whimsical Lines: Urban refrain through tribal abstraction’, a solo exhibition by acclaimed contemporary Indian artist Bhuwal Prasad. Open from 30th May to 28th June 2025 at Square One Designer Arcade, Saket, New Delhi, the show brings together a compelling body of work that seamlessly blends tribal art influences with modern abstract forms.
A Contemporary Take on Folk Traditions
Bhuwal Prasad’s artistic journey is rooted in tradition yet open to experimentation. Hailing from Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh, and formally trained at BHU, Varanasi (BFA) and College of Art, New Delhi (MFA), Prasad creates a distinctive style that draws from the vernacular vocabularies of Warli, Gond, and Khovar-Sohrai art while pushing the boundaries of contemporary abstraction.
The works on display reinterpret traditional motifs—geometric shapes, totemic figures, and nature-based symbols—through bold lines, rhythmic brushwork, and a palette that shifts between earthy hues and electric neons. Yet, nothing about Prasad’s approach is imitative. His art is an original, modern expression that pays homage to Indian tribal traditions without replicating them.
Playful, Poetic, and Layered: The Visual Language of Bhuwal Prasad
At the heart of Whimsical Lines lies Bhuwal’s playful engagement with form and meaning. In his Urban Crowd Filled series, viewers encounter abstract compositions that slowly reveal familiar objects—a telephone, a fish, a bird, a human face. These works encourage active visual discovery, allowing viewers to decode the underlying narrative layers beneath each seemingly whimsical shape.
His use of mixed media materials, such as corrugated cardboard, fibreglass, automotive paint, and jute, adds sculptural depth and a raw, tactile quality that further enriches the experience. The result is a visual diary that is as much about cultural memory as personal introspection and contemporary life.
Thematic Depth Meets Material Innovation
Bhuwal’s work doesn’t just dwell on visual impact; it explores deep thematic territory. His fascination with the masquerades and rituals of tribal communities, where people use costumes to camouflage or to celebrate traditional events, is subtly echoed in his paintings. This conceptual depth is matched by material innovation, reinforcing the tactile engagement that marks his practice.
One notable piece features a dark green four-panel composition, animated by pops of red, yellow, and blue, where recurring motifs evolve with every glance. Prasad’s mastery of rhythm—reminiscent of ritualistic Indian folk art like alpana or chowk—blends the sacred with the spontaneous, echoing the ritual and repetition inherent in these age-old traditions.
Recognised Voice in Contemporary Indian Art
Bhuwal Prasad’s unique fusion of folk influence and modernist abstraction has earned him both critical acclaim and institutional recognition. In 2018, the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, awarded him the Junior Fellowship, underscoring his role as a key figure in India’s contemporary art landscape.
With exhibitions in India and abroad, Prasad continues to expand the visual vocabulary of abstraction while remaining firmly rooted in Indian culture. His work speaks to the interconnectedness of memory, material, and imagination, drawing audiences into a world that is whimsical, thoughtful, and deeply textured.
About the Gallery
Founded in 2004 by Tripat Kalra and now led by Meher Kalra, Gallerie Nvya is known for supporting both master artists and emerging talents. The gallery aims to foster experimental and cross-cultural visual languages that define the future of Indian art.
Contributor
