This autumn, the Threshold Art Gallery invites viewers into a deeply moving space, ‘Shadows of Breath’, a solo exhibition by the multi-disciplinary artist Ravi Kashi. Running from October 31st to November 30th, 2025, this collection is a philosophical inquiry into the nature of existence, materiality, and the unspoken language of the human body, exhibited through the singular medium of paper. To him, paper is not a passive medium of expression, but one that is layered, sculpted, and finally evokes organic forms such as skin, cloth, and structures. This is what is described as the “shadows of breath.” The artist himself states, “In this exhibition, the fragility of paper, the echoes of the body, and the weight of language all coalesce into a conversation about the unspoken and the internal in the human experience.” This actively expresses the core intention of the exhibition, i.e., to use the vulnerability of paper to feature the correlation between our physical forms and inner worlds.
The Artist
In Shadows of Breath, it becomes a contemplative space where the medium becomes the vessel of both presence and absence. Ravi Kashi’s artistic practice spans painting, printmaking, and literature, and possesses a unique relationship with paper. The artist has mastered his craft through dedicated study in the UK and Korea, and hence, paper emerges as a metaphor for the “ephemeral body”, fragile, yet resilient. This exhibition also showcases works that engage the labour-intensive process of pulp painting.
Dr. Arnika Ahldag, Director of Exhibitions & Curation at MAP, Bangalore, stated, “Paper in Kashi’s hands becomes a second skin, fragile yet resilient, porous yet present,” highlighting how the works invite the viewer to “dwell in suggestion rather than certainty.” This liminality is central to the exhibition’s power. Interestingly, language to him is also a crucial element in the field of art. Language occurs in his paintings in the form of a visual and gestural companion to the artwork. He often uses Kannada for that purpose, as the language dissolves into form, transforming into both presence and silence. Furthermore, he uses colours such as deep rusts and muted greens to draw upon his fond memories of Bengaluru. He, thus, imbues an essence of an intimate, melancholic sense of memory that reverberates with the works of artists like Krishna Reddy and Akbar Padamsee, suggesting a quiet but important dialogue across the generations of modern and contemporary Indian art.
Exhibition Details
| Event | Description |
|---|---|
| Title | Shadows of Breath |
| Artist | Ravi Kashi |
| Exhibition Dates | 31st October to 30th November 2025 |
| Venue | Threshold Art Gallery, C-221, Sarvodaya Enclave, New Delhi |
| Artist’s Core Theme | Paper as a metaphor for the fragile and resilient human body. |
| Key Technique | Pulp Painting, transforming paper from surface to vessel. |
| Philosophical Focus | The interplay between the physical form and the inner, ethereal self. |
Key Highlights
- The medium of handmade paper and pulp has been central to Kashi’s practice for over a decade.
- Sculptural treatments: paper folded, draped, layered, moving beyond two-dimensional gestures.
- Language (often Kannada) was rendered not for reading but for sensing.
- Colour as memory: rust, green, muted tones drawn from Kashi’s lived environment (Bengaluru).
- This exhibition follows his earlier solo We Don’t End at Our Edges at the Museum of Art & Photography, Bengaluru (March–June 2025).
Why This Matters
Ravi Kashi’s work feels utterly relatable, as it functions in a space that we often neglect, the interior. He beautifully reminds us of fragility and resilience by using a simple medium such as paper. In doing so, he sparks a conversation between the material and the metaphor. Also, the Threshold Art Gallery, founded in 1997 and present in Delhi since 2003, has a reputation for harnessing a fertile space for artistic experimentation. By hosting Kashi’s show, it continues its commitment to deep engagement.
Takeaway
Ravi Kashi’s ‘Shadows of Breath’ serves as an act of resistance. He deliberately leans into the vulnerability of paper and forces a pause. It urges the spectators to attune to the imperceptible traces of inner life. The exhibition is an open-armed invitation to inhabit the liminal space where the material synchronizes with the spiritual. This exhibition is meant for anyone seeking an unhurried and deeply immersive experience that reminds us of the power found in shared human fragility.
