Exhibition celebrates versatility of paper as medium through artworks across three centuries
New Delhi, The finely detailed ruins, forts and temple paintings of 18th century artists Thomas and William Daniell and the powerful feminist visions of painter Rekha Rodwittiya in the 21st century are connected through the bridge that is paper and its ability to preserve stories and serve as a medium for artistic exploration.
The delicate yet resilient material makes for the common medium for over 100 artworks across three centuries at the ‘Paper Alchemy’ exhibition by Great Banyan Art at Bikaner House here.
The exhibition, featuring more than 50 masters of their craft, explores the connection between paper as a medium and the evolution of artistic expression in India.
“Featuring works that span over three centuries—from colonial-era aquatints to post-independence modernism and contemporary experimentation—the exhibition reflects themes of memory, fragility, and transformation. It traces how a humble material like paper has evolved into a powerful medium for storytelling, cultural memory, and artistic innovation in India,” Sonali Batra, curator, told PTI.
The exhibition spans major movements in Indian art, including the Company School, the Bengal School, the Progressive Artists’ Group, the Madras Group, and Contemporary practices, providing an opportunity to witness the evolution of artistic engagement with paper across generations and aesthetic philosophies.
From rare Oriental aquatints by Thomas and William Daniell, James Prinsep, William Hodges, to modern pioneers like M F Husain, F N Souza, H A Gade, Ramkinkar Baij, and Ganesh Haloi, the exhibition bridges historical traditions with contemporary voices such as Atul Dodiya, Anju Dodiya, Jagannath Panda, Rameshwar Broota, Amit Ambalal, and Anupam Sud.
The exhibition showcases the versatility of paper through diverse techniques including watercolour, gouache, tempera, acrylic, lithography, etching, aquatint, serigraphy, and photography.
“What’s consistent among all of these works is the medium of paper and how paper has the ability to hold on to memories, and it’s such a fragile medium and it’s taken forward stories and lasting visual imprints, cultural memories over three centuries,” Batra said.
It highlights paper’s dual role both “as a medium for experimentation and as a bridge between historical techniques and transnational modernism”.
The exhibition will come to a close on April 30.
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