Liminal Landscapes: A Journey Within Showcases Yusuf’s Abstract Worlds at Tao Art Gallery

Tao Art Gallery, Mumbai is presenting “Liminal Landscapes: A Journey Within”, a solo exhibition by senior contemporary artist Yusuf. Curated by Sanjana Shah, Creative Director of Tao Art Gallery, the exhibition brings together a body of abstract works that examine memory, lived experience and the inner landscapes that shape human perception. The exhibition opened with a preview on August 20, 2026 and remains on view until September 25, 2026.

A Journey Through Inner Landscapes

The exhibition centres on Yusuf’s longstanding engagement with abstraction. Through linear drawings, geometric forms, fragmented imagery and carefully balanced colour fields, the artist constructs visual environments that invite viewers into spaces of recollection and contemplation. According to the exhibition note, these works transform abstract landscapes into reflections of internal worlds shaped by memory and experience.

Yusuf describes the landscapes in his paintings as reflections of “the internal landscapes we all carry within us,” using line, form, colour and fragmentation to explore memories and fragments of existence.

The Evolution of a Distinctive Visual Language

Born in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, in 1952, Yusuf has developed a distinctive artistic language over a career spanning more than five decades. His work is widely recognised for its use of line as a central compositional element, often creating meditative and rhythmic abstractions that balance movement and stillness. He earned diplomas in Fine Arts and Sculpture from Gwalior and has exhibited extensively in India and abroad.

His artistic practice has been influenced by nature, music and geometry, with critics and fellow artists noting his mastery of line and abstraction. Yusuf has participated in significant exhibitions including the VII Triennale in New Delhi and the Bangladesh Biennale in Dhaka, while his works have also been shown in Japan, Korea and other international venues.

Exhibition Highlights

The exhibition presents works that move between order and disruption, creating visual rhythms through minimalist brushwork and fragmented forms.

Highlights include:

• Large-scale abstract canvases exploring memory and perception
• Works featuring Yusuf’s signature linear structures
• Compositions balancing symmetry, fragmentation and movement
• Paintings that draw on personal reflection and lived experience

One featured work, Cosmic Feelings (2026), demonstrates the artist’s continuing exploration of abstraction through acrylic and ink on canvas.

Curatorial Perspective

Curator Sanjana Shah notes that Yusuf’s practice has evolved steadily over several decades while maintaining a recognisable visual identity. She describes the works as meditative in nature, where abstraction is anchored by emerging forms and shapes that create a unique relationship between content and visual treatment.

The exhibition aims to create a space where viewers can engage with transitions between experience and artistic practice, allowing abstract forms to function as vehicles for memory and intuition.

Visitor Information

Final Thoughts

Through Liminal Landscapes: A Journey Within, Yusuf presents a body of work that reflects decades of engagement with abstraction and the expressive potential of line, form and colour. The exhibition offers audiences an opportunity to consider how memory, perception and lived experience can be translated into visual language. By bringing together personal reflection and contemporary abstraction, the show contributes to ongoing conversations about the role of art in understanding both individual and collective experiences.