From diamonds to canvas: Surat trade body betting big on art industry with Ahmedabad show

The decision to host the show in Ahmedabad, organisers said, was aimed at enabling interaction beyond the artists’ home city. “When artists step out of their city and get feedback elsewhere, that is important,” Desai said.

Centred around the theme ‘Whispers of Nature’, the exhibition includes works developed over two months following an open call. Mentors for the show include artists Anuj Ambalal and Vivek Desai.

For 26-year-old Khushali Vadhel, a self-taught artist working in the Pichwai style, the theme translated into a slower, more reflective engagement with nature. “If we pause and listen, we can feel nature more deeply,” she said, adding that her work reveals details gradually to the viewer.

Vadhel described the process as one of sustained discipline. “For a whole month, I worked on this for six hours every day… it felt like a blessing to focus completely on what I love,” she said.

For Mansi Virani — an artist and member of SGCCI’s art committee—the experience of exhibiting in Ahmedabad offered a shift in perspective. “Ahmedabad is well known for art and culture, and coming here from Surat has been a completely different experience,” she said, noting that engaging with new audiences helps artists evolve.

The initiative extends beyond the exhibition, with workshops, heritage walks, and studio visits planned alongside the display, indicating a broader attempt to build an ecosystem around artistic practice.

“Platforms like this are important for us to step out and gain exposure… we get to meet new artists and learn through the experience,” said artist Kruti Gilitwala.

Across the exhibition, artists engage with nature not just as a theme but as a personal reference point. “Nature took my inner darkness away… I wanted to show how it helps you start blooming again,” said Vaishnavi Patel, an artist and interior designer.

SGCCI plans to take similar exhibitions to other cities, including Vadodara, Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru, as part of a larger effort to expand opportunities for artists.

“The idea is to gradually take these artists to different cities as they gain exposure, the community and confidence will grow,” Desai said.

The show closes on Sunday.

(Nishant Bal is an intern with The Indian Express)