Reflections of nature
In an age where cities grow taller and green spaces grow smaller, art often becomes a quiet space for pause and reflection. Shrishti Art Gallery’s latest exhibition, ‘Shifting Grounds’, at The Quorum, Hyderabad, does precisely that — inviting viewers to reconsider their relationship with landscape, memory, and the environment within today’s changing living spaces. Bringing together three artists — Devu Nenmara, Priyanka Waghela and Sukalyan Dutta — the show explores nature from deeply personal and contemporary perspectives, each voice distinct yet connected by a shared concern for the world around us.
For Devu Nenmara, art began unexpectedly during the stillness of the COVID-19 lockdown. Hailing from a traditional weaver’s family, she picked up colours and canvas from her artist son, C. Unnikrishnan, and started painting almost instinctively. What emerged were works rooted in lived experience and memory — lush with flora, fauna and cultural motifs inspired by the natural world around her. Her canvases burst with greenery and vibrant hues, creating immersive landscapes that evoke warmth, vitality and a sense of belonging.
Priyanka Waghela’s works travel inward rather than outward. Enigmatic and contemplative, her art delves into the scientific and psychological realms of the subconscious mind. Blending science, cosmos and imagination, she constructs visual narratives that feel both abstract and philosophical. A poet as well as a painter, Priyanka infuses her canvases with layers of thought, encouraging viewers to engage not just visually but intellectually, turning each artwork into a meditative journey.
In contrast, Sukalyan Dutta’s practice documents the realities of a rapidly transforming urban environment. A printmaker and painter, he observes the changing cityscape around him — high-rise buildings replacing open land, concrete steadily overtaking green. Living just a few kilometres from Hyderabad’s central districts, he witnesses firsthand the shrinking space for nature. His works reflect this tension between development and ecological loss, serving as subtle yet powerful reminders of our collective responsibility towards Mother Nature.
Together, these three artists create a compelling dialogue between memory, mind and metropolis. ‘Shifting Grounds’ becomes more than an exhibition — it is a reflection on how landscapes, both internal and external, continue to shape human existence. The exhibition is on view until March 16, 2026.
