To see these artists in dialogue under one roof is to witness a conversation where the questions of tradition, modernity, and renewal echo across decades. Left: F.N.Souza R: Thota Vaikuntham
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Attend A Delhi Exhibition Intersecting The Legacy Of Indian Modernist & Contemporary Art

Over 35 artists feature in the New Delhi-based gallery’s 21st anniversary exhibition, highlighting both the legacies of modernists and the explorations of contemporary artists.

Drishya

One of New Delhi’s leading private art galleries, Gallerie Nvya, is celebrating its 21st anniversary with a major exhibition, 21: Memories & Milestones from then till now [2004–2025], featuring over 35 names from the pantheon of Indian modern and contemporary art, including modernist masters like Akbar Padamsee, M.F. Husain, F.N. Souza, S.H. Raza, Jamini Roy, and Tyeb Mehta; as well as contemporary legends such as Anjolie Ela Menon, Krishen Khanna, Sakti Burman, Jogen Chowdhury, Paresh Maity, and Seema Kohli. To see these artists in dialogue under one roof is to witness a conversation where the questions of tradition, modernity, and renewal echo across decades.

Souza furnishes Christ with a dignity not as clear in his subversive depictions of the Apostles. / F.N. Souza, FNS-0001, Christ, 27 x 21 inches, Acrylic on paper, 1989

The exhibition is structured as a broad survey of Indian modern art over the years rather than a thematic grouping. The effect is a dense cross-section of Indian modern art history: from Jamini Roy’s folk-inspired modernism, Souza’s radical figuration, and Husain’s galloping horses to Ravinder Reddy’s larger-than-life sculptures and S.H. Raza’s spiritual abstractions. Seen together, these works map the transitions from post-colonial modernism to the experimental practices of today.

Founded in 2004 by Tripat Kalra, Nvya emerged at a time when the Indian art market was finding its footing in a post-liberalisation world. In the two decades since, it has grown beyond its Friends Colony beginnings to Saket, IGI Airport, Triveni Kala Sangam, and collaborative spaces across Delhi and Gurugram. Along the way, it has not only showcased masters but also offered platforms to younger artists, most recently through the Nvya Grant for emerging practitioners. At 21 — a number associated with initiation and transformation across many cultures — the gallery stands at a threshold: looking neither backward nor forward, but firmly in the shifting present.

Thota Vaikuntam, TV-0089, Untitled, 60 x 48 inches, Acrylic on canvas, 2024

In this sense, 21: Memories & Milestones is less about nostalgia than about reaffirming the gallery’s role as a mediator between generations — preserving the legacies of modernists while championing the urgencies of the contemporaries. At a moment when art discourse is increasingly globalised, galleries like Nvya serve as custodians of both memory and innovation, ensuring that the story of Indian art is told as a living continuum. For discerning viewers, the exhibition offers a rare opportunity to view canonical modernists and living contemporaries side by side. For the gallery, it serves as a reminder of the delicate balancing act between preserving legacy and pushing boundaries.

After a preview at the Bikaner House, 21: Memories & Milestones from then till now [2004 – 2025] continues at Gallerie Nvya, Square One Designer Arcade, Saket, from September 4 to 30, 2025. Learn more about the exhibition here.

Follow Gallerie Nvya here.

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