Mumbai’s upcoming edition of Art Mumbai will feature Beneath the Surface: Indian Modern Abstraction, a presentation by Great Banyan Art that brings together works by 14 influential Indian modernists. The showcase will be presented at Booth A20 during Art Mumbai 2026, taking place from 12–15 November at Mahalaxmi Racecourse. Spanning works created between 1955 and 2021, the exhibition examines how artists across generations approached abstraction through memory, spirituality, music, language, mythology and place.
Great Banyan Art Makes Its Art Mumbai Debut
The presentation marks the first participation of Great Banyan Art at Art Mumbai. Established in New Delhi in 2004, the gallery grew out of the Batra Family Collection and has developed one of India’s significant private art collections, encompassing Indian modern and contemporary art alongside international works. The organisation has also supported research, publishing and educational initiatives related to Indian art. Great Banyan Art
Visitors will encounter works by F. N. Souza, Krishen Khanna, Sohan Qadri, Avinash Chandra, B. Prabha, J. Sultan Ali, G. R. Santosh, S. Yousuf Ali, Shanti Dave, Achuthan Kudallur, Akkitham Narayanan, Velu Viswanadhan, Nareen Nath and Rajendra Dhawan.
Tracing Different Paths to Abstraction
Rather than presenting abstraction as a single movement, the exhibition highlights the diverse routes artists took toward non-representational expression. According to the curatorial framework, abstraction emerges through personal memory, spiritual inquiry, musical rhythm, script, symbolism and landscape. The exhibition spans artists associated with the Progressive Artists’ Group, neo-Tantric art, South Indian modernism and later abstract practices.
Among the featured artists is F. N. Souza, a founding member of the Progressive Artists’ Group whose expressionist language challenged artistic conventions and reshaped Indian modernism. Krishen Khanna, whose centenary was recently marked by the National Gallery of Modern Art, is represented through an abstract work connected to memories of Partition and displacement.
Highlights of the Exhibition
- F. N. Souza – Untitled (Reclining Nude) (1962)
- Krishen Khanna – Untitled (Beginning of a Forest Fire) (1961)
- J. Sultan Ali – Rahu-Vijaya (1967)
- S. Yousuf Ali – Untitled (1971)
- Shanti Dave – Untitled (1969)
- Sohan Qadri – Untitled (1976)
- Avinash Chandra – Landscape (1955)
- B. Prabha – Untitled (1966)
These works illustrate the breadth of abstraction in India, from distorted figuration and mythology to script-based compositions and meditative colour fields.
Spirituality, Music and Memory
Several artists in the exhibition draw on spiritual traditions and philosophical systems. Sohan Qadri’s practice was informed by Tantric and Vajrayana influences, while G. R. Santosh developed a visual language connected to Kashmir’s spiritual heritage and neo-Tantric thought. Shanti Dave transformed script and symbols into textured abstract forms, and S. Yousuf Ali translated the experience of music into rhythmic compositions centred on musicians and instruments.
The exhibition also explores how memory and geography shaped abstraction. Works by Avinash Chandra, Achuthan Kudallur, Akkitham Narayanan and Velu Viswanadhan reflect personal and cultural associations with Kashmir, Kerala and other regional landscapes, often transforming lived experiences into geometric or atmospheric forms.
Art Mumbai as a Platform
Art Mumbai has established itself as a major platform for modern and contemporary art in South Asia. The fair brings together Indian and international galleries, institutions, collectors and artists through exhibitions, talks, performances and educational programmes. The 2026 edition returns to Mahalaxmi Racecourse from 12–15 November and is expected to feature a wide range of exhibitors and public programming. ART MUMBAI
For more information, visitors can explore Great Banyan Art and Art Mumbai.
Visitor Information
| Event Name | Details |
| Venue | Beneath the Surface: Indian Modern Abstraction |
| Venue | Booth A20, Art Mumbai 2026, Mahalaxmi Racecourse |
| City | Mumbai |
| Opening Date | 12 November 2026 |
| Exhibition Dates | 12–15 November 2026 |
| Organiser | Great Banyan Art |
Visitors may check the fair’s official website for ticketing and visitor updates. ART MUMBAI
Takeaway
Beneath the Surface brings together multiple generations of Indian artists who approached abstraction through distinct cultural, personal and philosophical frameworks. By placing works from different decades in conversation, the presentation offers an opportunity to reconsider the role of abstraction within Indian modernism. At a time when contemporary audiences continue to engage with questions of identity, memory and spirituality, the exhibition provides insight into how artists have used abstract forms to interpret both individual experience and broader cultural histories.
