Bengal Beyond Boundaries: An exhibition encapsulating the region’s rich contribution to art over decades

The exhibition "Bengal Beyond Boundaries", on at New Delhi's Bikaner House till July 15, comprises works by over 100 artists from Bengal

3 min readNew DelhiJul 15, 2023 01:11 PM IST

The show curated by Uma Nair spans almost a century and includes over 290 works in varied mediums, from paintings to prints, watercolours and mixed media.

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Bengal Beyond Boundaries: An exhibition encapsulating the region’s rich contribution to art over decades

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Around three months ago when gallerist Vikram Bachhawat and artist Jogen Chowdhury began planning an exhibition on Bengal art to be held in the Capital, they were certain that they did not want to present a narrow view restricted to a specific period or genre. “We wanted to look at the rich contributions made over the decades, promote art from Bengal and give it the due it deserves,” says Bachhawat, director of Kolkata-based Aakriti Art Gallery.

The exhibition “Bengal Beyond Boundaries”, on at Bikaner House till July 15, is an outcome of that vision. Comprising works by over 100 artists from Bengal, the show curated by Uma Nair spans almost a century and includes over 290 works in varied mediums, from paintings to prints, watercolours and mixed media.

Broadly chronologically presented, according to the birth of each artist, the exhibition makes an attempt to give the audience an overview. While a wall dedicated to the Tagores brings together works of Rabindranath, Gaganendranath, Abanindranath and Sunayani Devi, some of the other artworks from the period include works on paper by stalwarts Nandalal Bose, Ramkinkar Baij and Benode Behari Mukherjee, who influenced generations of artists. There are Company paintings, Kalighat pats, Jamini Roy’s works famously influenced by folk art, and works by Kshitindranath Mazumdar and Hemendranath Mazumdar. Coming together with Somnath Hore’s lithographs are his works from the acclaimed White on White (Wounds) series. “When you talk about Bengal, the period the artist belongs to becomes important as it influences their work, and one finds similarities in their technique and thought process,” says Bachhawat.

With its vast ambit, the display manages to include the most recognised names from the region with the younger generation of artists. “We were selecting works, not artists,” adds Bachhawat. If Chowdhury’s Woman with Mirror occupies a central place on a wall, on view is also KG Subramanyan’s illustration for the book ‘Saptaparni’ and Ganesh Pyne’s portraits. Paresh Maity dedicates his panoramic canvas to Rabindranath and his institution Santiniketan, and Chetali Chanda’s vibrant milieu is teeming with people.

The medium of sculptures is not ignored either, as finding place with the likes of Meera Mukherjee, Bipin Goswami and Ajit Chakraborty are works of younger masters such as Tapas Biswas, Subrata Biswas and Akhil Chandra Das.

Days before the Kolkata-based gallerist was leaving for Delhi, a word of support also came from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who wished him success.

Vandana Kalra

Vandana Kalra is an art critic and Deputy Associate Editor with The Indian Express. She has spent more than two decades chronicling arts, culture and everyday life, with modern and contemporary art at the heart of her practice. With a sustained engagement in the arts and a deep understanding of India’s cultural ecosystem, she is regarded as a distinctive and authoritative voice in contemporary art journalism in India. Vandana Kalra's career has unfolded in step with the shifting contours of India’s cultural landscape, from the rise of the Indian art market to the growing prominence of global biennales and fairs. Closely tracking its ebbs and surges, she reports from studios, galleries, museums and exhibition spaces and has covered major Indian and international art fairs, museum exhibitions and biennales, including the Venice Biennale, Kochi-Muziris Biennale, Documenta, Islamic Arts Biennale. She has also been invited to cover landmark moments in modern Indian art, including SH Raza’s exhibition at the Centre Pompidou in Paris and the opening of the MF Husain Museum in Doha, reflecting her long engagement with the legacies of India’s modern masters. Alongside her writing, she applies a keen editorial sensibility, shaping and editing art and cultural coverage into informed, cohesive narratives. Through incisive features, interviews and critical reviews, she brings clarity to complex artistic conversations, foregrounding questions of process, patronage, craft, identity and cultural memory. The Global Art Circuit: She provides extensive coverage of major events like the Kochi-Muziris Biennale, Serendipity Arts Festival, and high-profile international auctions. Artist Spotlights: She writes in-depth features on modern masters (like M.F. Husain) and contemporary performance artists (like Marina Abramović). Art and Labor: A recurring theme in her writing is how art reflects the lives of the marginalized, including migrants, farmers, and labourers. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent portfolio is dominated by the coverage of the 2025 art season in India: 1. Kochi-Muziris Biennale & Serendipity Arts Festival "At Serendipity Arts Festival, a 'Shark Tank' of sorts for art and crafts startups" (Dec 20, 2025): On how a new incubator is helping artisans pitch products to investors. "Artist Birender Yadav's work gives voice to the migrant self" (Dec 17, 2025): A profile of an artist whose decade-long practice focuses on brick kiln workers. "At Kochi-Muziris Biennale, a farmer’s son from Patiala uses his art to draw attention to Delhi’s polluted air" (Dec 16, 2025). "Kochi Biennale showstopper Marina Abramović, a pioneer in performance art" (Dec 7, 2025): An interview with the world-renowned artist on the power of reinvention. 2. M.F. Husain & Modernism "Inside the new MF Husain Museum in Qatar" (Nov 29, 2025): A three-part series on the opening of Lawh Wa Qalam in Doha, exploring how a 2008 sketch became the architectural core of the museum. "Doha opens Lawh Wa Qalam: Celebrating the modernist's global legacy" (Nov 29, 2025). 3. Art Market & Records "Frida Kahlo sets record for the most expensive work by a female artist" (Nov 21, 2025): On Kahlo's canvas The Dream (The Bed) selling for $54.7 million. "All you need to know about Klimt’s canvas that is now the most expensive modern artwork" (Nov 19, 2025). "What’s special about a $12.1 million gold toilet?" (Nov 19, 2025): A quirky look at a flushable 18-karat gold artwork. 4. Art Education & History "Art as play: How process-driven activities are changing the way children learn art in India" (Nov 23, 2025). "A glimpse of Goa's layered history at Serendipity Arts Festival" (Dec 9, 2025): Exploring historical landmarks as venues for contemporary art. Signature Beats Vandana is known for her investigative approach to the art economy, having recently written about "Who funds the Kochi-Muziris Biennale?" (Dec 11, 2025), detailing the role of "Platinum Benefactors." She also explores the spiritual and geometric aspects of art, as seen in her retrospective on artist Akkitham Narayanan and the history of the Cholamandal Artists' Village (Nov 22, 2025). ... Read More

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