Art Explore is presenting The Self, Speaking, a group exhibition featuring six women artists whose works examine ideas of identity, memory, observation, and the experience of contemporary life. Opening with a preview on 1 July at 12 pm, the exhibition will remain on view from 2 July to 18 July at the gallery’s space in Panchsheel Park, New Delhi. Working across sculpture, painting, charcoal, abstraction, and mixed media, the exhibition explores how personal identity is continually shaped by everyday experiences and changing social realities. The exhibition also includes a poetry reading by artist Preeti Singh during the preview, extending the dialogue between visual art and literature.
Six Artistic Voices Explore the Many Dimensions of Selfhood
Each participating artist approaches the central theme through a distinct visual language while sharing a broader interest in the evolving nature of selfhood.
Participating artists include:
- Mansha Bedi
- Avani Bakaya
- Nisha Manavi
- Sangeeta Grover
- Sangeeta Singh
- Shivani Garg
Mansha Bedi creates fragmented terracotta and plaster figures that examine the body as a site of observation and social commentary. Avani Bakaya paints intimate interiors in oil, depicting moments of solitude, memory, and reflection. Nisha Manavi considers identity through traces and impressions left behind over time. Sangeeta Grover transforms Delhi’s architectural landscape of wires, windows, and grills into layered acrylic compositions. Sangeeta Singh presents familiar surroundings within surreal settings where solitude exists even among crowds, while Shivani Garg uses pastel abstraction to visualise thought and emotional movement.
Womanhood As a Point of Departure
Although all six participants are women artists, The Self, Speaking looks beyond representation to consider the complexities of interior life. Rather than presenting a singular narrative, the exhibition explores how identity is assembled through memory, relationships, social expectations, and lived experience.
The participating artists employ a range of materials-including terracotta, plaster, oil, acrylic, charcoal, and mixed media to demonstrate how medium itself becomes part of the conversation around selfhood. Together, their works invite viewers to reflect on personal experience while recognising broader contemporary conditions.
Art Explore Continues its Focus on Contemporary Art
Founded in 2016, Art Explore has established itself as a contemporary gallery supporting emerging, mid-career, and established artists through long-term collaborations. The gallery’s programme frequently addresses themes of identity, memory, environment, and belonging across painting, sculpture, installation, and mixed media. It is led by founder and director Reshma Chordia, whose curatorial approach emphasises sustained artistic engagement and accessibility.
Previous exhibitions organised by the gallery have similarly explored questions of gender and identity, including HER, a group exhibition highlighting diverse artistic practices by women artists.
Exhibition Highlights
Visitors can expect:
- Sculptural works in terracotta and plaster
- Oil paintings exploring intimate domestic spaces
- Acrylic interpretations of Delhi’s urban landscape
- Charcoal and mixed-media works centred on memory
- Abstract pastel compositions examining inner thought
- A poetry presentation by artist Preeti Singh during the preview
Visitor Information
Event Details
| Event | Details |
|---|---|
| Event Name | The Self, Speaking |
| Artists | Mansha Bedi, Avani Bakaya, Nisha Manavi, Sangeeta Grover, Sangeeta Singh, Shivani Garg |
| Venue | Art Explore, E-55, Lower Ground Floor, Panchsheel Park |
| City | New Delhi (Google Map) |
| Preview | 1 July, 12 pm |
| Exhibition Dates | 2 July – 18 July |
| Organiser | Art Explore |
| Entry | Free (Viewing appointments available) |
| Website | https://www.artexplore.in |
More information is available on the gallery’s official website at www.artexplore.in and through its Instagram page at @artexplore.
Conclusion
By bringing together six distinct artistic practices, The Self, Speaking offers a thoughtful examination of identity as something continually shaped by memory, experience, and social context. Through painting, sculpture, abstraction, and mixed media, the exhibition encourages viewers to reflect on both personal and collective experiences. It also reinforces Art Explore’s ongoing commitment to presenting contemporary Indian art that engages with meaningful cultural conversations.
