A new group exhibition titled An Ancient Ballad will open at Emami Art in Kolkata on 22 May 2026. Presented in Gallery 1 on the ground floor of the gallery space, the exhibition brings together artists from different generations to examine how images of nature, the human body and animal forms recur across modern and contemporary art practices. The exhibition will remain on view until 10 July 2026.
Exploring Recurring Motifs
The exhibition includes photography, painting, printmaking, textile, ceramics and sculpture. Through these varied media, An Ancient Ballad looks at how familiar visual forms return over time while taking on new meanings shaped by changing material, social and ecological contexts.
Rather than treating repetition as a fixed language, the exhibition proposes it as a site of transformation. Leaves, landscapes and bodies appear throughout the works, each carrying traces of the techniques, labour and histories involved in their making.
Intergenerational Dialogue
Historical works by L. M. Sen and K. C. Pyne are placed alongside contemporary artists including Arunima Choudhury, Ajit Kumar Das, Alakananda Sengupta, Raja Boro and Rahul Sarkar.
The exhibition creates connections between memory, mythology and lived experience, allowing viewers to trace continuities and changes in artistic practice across decades.
Full List of Participating Artists
| Ajit Kumar Das | Alakananda Sengupta |
| Arunima Choudhury | Chandra Bhattacharjee |
| K. C. Pyne | L. M. Sen |
| Partha Dasgupta | Rahul Sarkar |
| Raja Boro | Sayandeep Kangsabanik |
| Subrata Biswas | Tapas Biswas |
Material and Ecological Memory
Textile and material-based works occupy a significant part of the exhibition. Arunima Choudhury’s eco-printed works, Ajit Kumar Das’s naturally dyed kalamkari cloths and Alakananda Sengupta’s ceramics focus on surface as a record of touch, labour and environmental memory.
Sculptural works by Tapas Biswas, Subrata Biswas and Partha Dasgupta explore the human figure through balance, weight and abstraction.
Highlights of the Exhibition
- Early photographic studies by L. M. Sen
- Figurative works by K. C. Pyne
- Eco-printed and naturally dyed textiles
- Ceramics and mixed-media sculptures
- Printmaking focused on memory, identity and landscape
- Works by 12 participating artists across generations
Curatorial Perspective
Richa Agarwal, CEO of Emami Art, said the exhibition reflects the organisation’s commitment to presenting historically significant works alongside contemporary practices. Ushmita Sahu, Director and Head Curator, describes the exhibition as an exploration of image, memory and matter in ongoing dialogue.
Founded in 2017, Emami Art is a contemporary art gallery housed within the Kolkata Centre for Creativity, a multidisciplinary arts centre that hosts exhibitions, performances and educational programmes.
Visitor Information
| Event | Details |
| Title | An Ancient Ballad |
| Artists | Group Exhibition featuring 12 artists across generations |
| Venue | Gallery 1, Ground Floor, Emami Art, Kolkata Centre for Creativity, 777 E M Bypass, Kolkata 700107 |
| Opening Date | 22 May 2026, 4:00 PM onwards |
| Exhibition Dates | 22 May – 10 July 2026 |
| Organiser | Emami Art |
| Timings | Daily, 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM |
| Entry | Open to the public |
| Website | https://www.emamiart.com |
Further details are available on the gallery’s official website and social media channels, including Emami Art on Instagram.
Conclusion
An Ancient Ballad offers a considered view of how images and forms endure across time while continuing to evolve. By bringing together historical and contemporary works, the exhibition invites visitors to reflect on the relationship between memory, ecology and artistic practice. In doing so, it highlights the ways art can connect past and present through material, imagination and shared cultural histories.
