New Delhi: Gallery Kolkata unveiled the preview of its inaugural Delhi exhibition titled “Pancha-Tattva Material Matters – Crafting Art, Architecture and Design,” curated by noted designer and curator Ankon Mitra. The exhibition brings together artists, architects, and designers in a distinctive showcase that explores the deep and meaningful relationship between maker and material.
The exhibition offers visitors an immersive visual and tactile experience, where materials such as glass, wood, brass, copper, textiles, and even unconventional elements like goat hair are transformed into striking sculptural forms and design pieces. Each work demonstrates a unique material language, highlighting how creators interact with the physical substance of their craft and reinterpret it into artistic expression.
“Pancha-Tattva” examines the intersection of art, architecture, design, and craft. While contemporary art and design platforms increasingly bring these disciplines together, this exhibition goes a step further by exploring the fundamental relationship between creators and the materials they work with. Through this interaction, conventional boundaries between disciplines dissolve, creating a dialogue between the maker and the material itself.
The exhibition features works by 29 makers, with nearly equal representation from the fields of art, architecture, and design. Senior artists including Kavita Nayar, Arunkumar HG, Sheela Chamariya, and Srila Mookherjee are presented alongside designers such as Siddhartha Das, Joya Nandurdikar, and Amrita Guha. Contemporary design practitioners including Arjun Rathi, Malavika Singh, Babar Afzal, Amrita Nambiar, and Bandana Jain also contribute works that explore innovative material techniques.
Architects including Sushant Verma, Nitin Barchha, Jwalant Mahadevwala, Kanishka Jain, and Piyusha Patwardhan present cross-disciplinary works that challenge traditional definitions of architecture and design. The exhibition also showcases artists known for their unique engagement with material, including Aakriti Kumar, Pintu Sikder, Parth Parikh, and Jenjum Gadi.
Emerging creative voices such as Revati Jayakrishnan, Mayadhar Sahu, Abhishek Chakraborty, Chandrapal Panjre, Srinia Chowdhury, and Keshav Gupta bring fresh perspectives to the exhibition. Renowned curator Neerajj Mittra also participates in the showcase with a special contribution.
The preview event was graced by eminent art critic Uma Nair as the Chief Guest and craft and design expert Ritu Sethi as the Guest of Honour. The exhibition is presented by Meghna Agarwala, founder of Gallery Kolkata, who brings a dynamic and contemporary voice from Kolkata to Delhi’s cultural landscape.
The opening preview was attended by several distinguished members of the art fraternity, including Asit Patnaik, Pryag Shukla, and Sushma Bahl, along with artists, architects, designers, collectors, and cultural enthusiasts.
At the conceptual core of the exhibition lies the philosophy of Pancha-Tattva, the five fundamental elements believed to form the essence of existence. The exhibition interprets these elements through materials: concrete symbolising Fire, wood representing Earth, glass embodying Water, textiles evoking Air, and metals such as copper, brass, and bronze representing Space or Ether. Through these elemental materials, the exhibition celebrates the timeless connection between maker, material, and nature.
“Pancha-Tattva Material Matters – Crafting Art, Architecture and Design” will remain open to the public until 19 April, from 11:00 am to 7:30 pm, at Gallery Kolkata, Greater Kailash II, New Delhi.
The exhibition invites visitors to experience how materials themselves become powerful mediums of storytelling, reminding audiences that even in an era shaped by technology and artificial intelligence, the bond between the creator and the material remains the true foundation of creativity.
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