Time and Imagination
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Gulammohammed Sheikh’s Six-Decade Retrospective at KNMA
Step into a realm where time folds into itself and imagination weaves multiple narratives—Gulammohammed Sheikh’s retrospective exhibition at the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art (KNMA), Saket offers exactly that. Titled Worlds Within Worlds, this sweeping survey of the Padma Bhushan awardee’s work is a journey through six decades of artistic and poetic expression by one of India’s most respected cultural figures.
Gulammohammed Sheikh, now in his eighties, is as much a poet and thinker as he is a visual artist. His art defies easy categorization, combining a rich visual vocabulary with deep philosophical musings and literary references. Sheikh’s work has long served as a bridge between tradition and modernity, East and West, personal memory, and collective history.
The KNMA retrospective brings together more than 190 pieces that chart the evolution of his creative practice. From delicate gouaches and bold oil paintings to finely detailed pen-and-ink drawings, graphic prints, and whimsical digital collages, the exhibition showcases the breadth of Sheikh’s media and mastery. Accordion books, ceramic sculptures, photographs, poems, and immersive installations are also part of this landmark show, offering visitors an intimate view into the artist’s layered world.
What makes this retrospective exceptional is not just the range of mediums on display but also the way it contextualizes Sheikh’s contributions to contemporary Indian art. As a former teacher, editor, and one of the founders of the Baroda School, Sheikh played a key role in shaping generations of Indian artists. His visual style is immediately recognisable—populated with historical and mythological references, dense with storytelling, and often blending miniature painting techniques with modernist strategies.
The exhibition invites the viewer to explore the interplay of image and text, geography, and memory. Sheikh’s canvases are often like tapestries—filled with characters drawn from history, mythology, literature, and daily life. Cities, books, landscapes, and personal encounters often converge into a single frame, blurring the boundaries between reality and imagination.
One of the striking aspects of Sheikh’s practice is how he constantly reinvents his visual language while remaining rooted in his cultural heritage. Even in his digital works and newer experiments, there is a sense of continuity and a commitment to dialogue—with himself, with other artists, and with the world at large.
The exhibition at KNMA is not just a look at an artist’s life work—it is also a reflection on the changing nature of Indian art over the past sixty years. Through Sheikh’s eyes, we see shifts in political thought, artistic movements, and intellectual discourse, all embedded in the textures of his paintings and writings. His works become a mirror to our times, filtered through the lens of history and imagination.
For anyone interested in Indian art, poetry, or cultural history, Worlds Within Worlds is an essential experience. It is a show that encourages lingering, revisiting, and reflection—where every corner, brushstroke, and verse opens a door to another world.
The retrospective is on view at the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art, DLF South Court Mall, Saket District Centre, New Delhi, until June 30, 2025. Do not miss the opportunity to engage with the legacy of a master who continues to shape the landscape of Indian art and thought.
