A major retrospective dedicated to artist and printmaker Kanchan Chander will open in New Delhi this September, bringing together more than five decades of work across drawing, printmaking and mixed media. Titled The Grammar of the Self, the exhibition is curated by Kishore Singh and presented by Gallery Ragini. The show will begin at LTC Gallery, Bikaner House, from 12 to 18 September 2026 before continuing at Gallery Ragini in Lado Sarai from 21 September to 31 October 2026.
A Retrospective Across Two Venues
The exhibition brings together a substantial selection of drawings, prints and selected mixed media works that reflect the evolution of Chander’s artistic practice. Organisers describe the project as an opportunity to view works from different phases of her career in a single curatorial framework.
The first leg of the exhibition will be presented at LTC Gallery, Bikaner House, while the second and longer presentation will continue at Gallery Ragini’s Lado Sarai space. Together, the two venues will host a survey of works spanning more than fifty years.
Drawing as the Core of the Practice
At the centre of The Grammar of the Self is drawing, a medium that has remained fundamental to Chander’s artistic language. The exhibition examines how drawing has informed her approach to observation, memory, identity and personal experience.
Visitors will encounter works ranging from early portraits and self-portraits to figurative studies, prints and recent abstract compositions. According to curator Kishore Singh, these drawings reveal the artist’s personal visual language and provide insight into the recurring ideas that connect different phases of her practice.
Highlights of the Exhibition
- Early portraits and self-portraits
- Figurative studies developed over several decades
- Etchings, lithographs and woodcuts
- Selected mixed media works
- Recent abstract explorations
- Works that examine memory, identity and the human condition
International Influences and Artistic Development
Born in New Delhi, Kanchan Chander is recognised as one of India’s significant contemporary printmakers. Her education and artistic training took place across multiple countries, including India, Germany, Chile and France, experiences that have informed the international dimension of her practice. Her work frequently engages with themes of identity, memory, femininity and the human condition through a visual language rooted in drawing and printmaking.
Throughout her career, Chander has worked across etching, lithography, woodcut, painting and mixed media. Her works have been exhibited nationally and internationally and are included in both public and private collections.
Curatorial Approach
Curator Kishore Singh has brought together works from different periods of Chander’s career to reveal the continuities within her practice. Rather than presenting a strictly chronological survey, the exhibition places works in dialogue with one another, highlighting recurring motifs and visual concerns.
The title The Grammar of the Self refers to the personal visual language that has emerged through Chander’s sustained engagement with drawing. Across changing techniques and subject matter, the exhibition explores how the artist has transformed personal experiences into broader reflections on human life.
About the Organiser
The exhibition is presented by Gallery Ragini, a New Delhi-based gallery established in 2005. The gallery has built a programme that supports both established and emerging artists through exhibitions, educational initiatives, residencies and public engagement projects. Over the years it has become known for presenting modern and contemporary Indian art while encouraging dialogue across artistic disciplines.
Visitor Information
| Event Name | Details |
| Title | The Grammar of the Self: Kanchan Chander – Prints and Drawings |
| Artist | Kanchan Chander |
| Curator | Kishore Singh |
| Venue | LTC Gallery, Bikaner House; Gallery Ragini, Lado Sarai, New Delhi |
| Opening Date | 12 September 2026 |
| Exhibition Dates | 12 September – 31 October 2026 |
| Organiser | Gallery Ragini |
| Entry / Tickets | Not specified |
| Website | https://galleryragini.com |
For more information, visitors can visit the official website of Gallery Ragini. Readers interested in learning more about the artist can also explore information on Kanchan Chander’s profile.
Conclusion
The Grammar of the Self offers a rare opportunity to view the breadth of Kanchan Chander’s practice through a focused retrospective spanning more than five decades. By bringing together drawings, prints and mixed media works, the exhibition highlights the role of drawing as a continuing thread within her artistic journey. The project also contributes to broader conversations around memory, identity and the place of printmaking within contemporary Indian art, providing audiences with an opportunity to engage with an important chapter in the country’s cultural history.
