Art Magnum Opens The Poetics of the Ordinary, a Mona Bendre Solo Exhibition

A Posthumous Solo Exhibition Honouring Mona Bendre

Art Magnum will present The Poetics of the Ordinary, a solo exhibition of works by the late artist Mona Bendre, opening on 1st February 2026 and on view until 14 March 2026. The exhibition brings together 23 artworks, offering audiences a rare and reflective insight into Bendre’s quiet yet deeply resonant artistic practice.

Curated Reflection on a Life of Sensitivity and Discipline

Curated by Subhra Mazumdar and Gayatri Mathur, the exhibition traces an artistic journey shaped by spirituality, discipline, and attentiveness to nature and everyday experience. Rather than spectacle, Bendre’s work embraces stillness—revealing how ordinary spaces and moments can hold emotional depth and contemplative presence.

Finding Meaning in the Everyday

This posthumous presentation showcases how Bendre transformed modest interiors, simple landscapes, still-life arrangements, and floral compositions into meditative visual spaces. Corners of rooms, familiar objects, and quiet moments become sites of memory and reflection, encouraging viewers to pause and look again at what is often overlooked.

A Restrained Palette and Textured Surfaces

A defining feature of Bendre’s work is her earthy, restrained palette. Deep maroon browns, muted ochres, and softened tonal layers create an atmosphere of quiet intensity. Her textured surfaces—built through repetition and thoughtful layering—suggest time, lived rhythms, and emotional accumulation rather than dramatic gestures.

Floral Motifs as Emotional Language

Recurring floral arrangements form a strong emotional and symbolic thread throughout the exhibition. Often composed from fallen blossoms gathered from her own garden, these works reflect Bendre’s bond with nature and her belief in the dignity of small, everyday acts. Each flower is rendered with individual character, mirroring personal memory and lived experience.

Landscapes, Early Works, and Chromatic Contrast

Alongside the floral works, the exhibition includes select landscapes and early paintings from the late 1960s, revealing Bendre’s confident use of impasto and expressive texture. A contrasting still-life series introduces brighter hues—reds, yellows, and metallic tones—offering a sensorial and joyful counterpoint to her predominantly earth-toned compositions.

A Family-Led Act of Preservation

The exhibition has been made possible through the sustained dedication of the artist’s family, particularly her son Padmanabh Bendre and granddaughter-in-law Sonia Bendre. Their commitment to revisiting and sharing Bendre’s work has brought this significant body of art into public view.

Exhibition Details

Takeaway

The Poetics of the Ordinary stands as both a tribute and an invitation—honouring Mona Bendre’s lifelong belief that meaning resides in attentiveness to the familiar. Through restrained colour, textured surfaces, and quiet subject matter, the exhibition encourages slowness, reflection, and an intimate engagement with everyday life.