A solo exhibition of ceramic sculptures, stoneware masks, drawings and paintings by 13-year-old artist Rudranil Mitra will be held at the India International Centre Annexe from 15 to 22 November 2026. Curated by Uma Nair, the exhibition explores his distinctive visual language and raises questions about how unconventional talent is recognised and nurtured.
A Solo Exhibition of Imagination and Form
The Imaginarium will present a collection of works by Rudranil Mitra, a young artist whose creative practice spans ceramics, sculpture, drawing and painting. The exhibition will take place at the Basement Gallery, IIC Annexe, New Delhi, with daily visiting hours from 11 am to 7 pm. Through a range of forms and materials, the show brings together images and characters drawn from Mitra’s imagination, including unusual figures, expressive masks and anthropomorphic compositions.
An Artistic Journey That Began in Early Childhood
According to the exhibition organisers, Mitra began drawing and shaping clay at around 18 months of age. He was diagnosed with autism and ADHD and has experienced significant language delays. His family recognised his interest in tactile activities through his early experiments with play dough, arranging objects and creating small forms. These initial explorations gradually developed into more elaborate sculptures featuring multiple limbs, unusual faces and imaginative details.
Recognising his interest in visual and three-dimensional art, his father arranged formal ceramics training with teachers Ambar and Monica Agnihotri. Their approach allowed Mitra considerable freedom to experiment, with technical guidance offered when needed. His father, a landscape architect and sculptor, also documented his artistic development, identifying a body of work with a developing visual vocabulary.
Ceramic Sculptures and Stoneware Masks
The exhibition will include ceramic sculptures, 12 stoneware masks, drawings and paintings. The masks were created during Mitra’s time at the Jaipur studio of ceramic artist and sculptor Keshari Nandan, known as MRID-CERA. His stay there lasted more than three weeks and resulted in a substantial body of stoneware work.
In her curator’s note, Uma Nair describes the sculptures as studies in character, posture and amplified emotion. Figures with multiple heads, hands and eyes evoke mythological imagery, including the contrasting worlds of Devatas and Rakshasas. Their forms combine the familiar with the fantastic, often presenting contradictions and imperfections through exaggerated features.
Mitra’s visual influences also include animated films such as Madagascar, Ice Age, The Bad Guys and Kung-Fu Panda. These references inform his imaginative characters without limiting them to straightforward representations of the films. His sculptural language instead moves between humour, fantasy and the macabre.
Drawings, Paintings and Everyday Objects
Drawing and painting form another part of Mitra’s practice. Nair describes his drawings as single-frame stories, with each image communicating an idea through a concentrated visual gesture. His paintings, including works made while travelling, reflect an interest in colour, observation and the reinterpretation of familiar subjects.
The exhibition also draws attention to his experiments with everyday materials. Paintings on empty glass bottles and birds constructed from pencil shavings demonstrate his interest in transforming commonplace objects into works of art. These pieces extend the exhibition’s focus beyond conventional sculpture, showing how creative possibilities can emerge from materials often overlooked in daily life.
A Wider Conversation About Education and Talent
Beyond presenting an individual artistic journey, The Imaginarium has an educational and social dimension. The exhibition’s accompanying statement highlights how children who struggle within conventional academic systems may possess abilities that are not adequately recognised through standard measures of achievement.
Mitra, who attends Don Bosco School and has reached Grade 8, reportedly finds mathematics and art more accessible and engaging than many other school subjects. His experience informs the exhibition’s broader question: how can families, schools and communities create opportunities for children whose strengths do not always align with traditional expectations?
Rather than treating academic performance as the sole measure of potential, the exhibition invites visitors to consider the importance of individual interests, creative expression and appropriate support.
Exhibition Details and Visitor Information
| Event Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Event Name | The Imaginarium by Rudranil Mitra |
| Artist | Rudranil Mitra (13 years old) |
| Venue | Basement Gallery, IIC Annexe, New Delhi, India |
| Exhibition Dates | 15–22 November 2026 |
| Timings | 11 AM–7 PM |
| Curator | Uma Nair |
| Website / Registration | India International Centre website |
Takeaway
By bringing together Mitra’s experiments across clay, drawing, painting and found materials, the exhibition offers an opportunity to encounter a young artist’s developing visual world while considering how creative abilities can be supported beyond the classroom. It also opens a wider conversation about inclusion, education and the many forms in which artistic potential can emerge.
