LATITUDE 28 will present Walking Root Route, a solo exhibition by internationally recognised multidisciplinary artist Monali Meher, with a preview on 30 July 2026 and the exhibition open to the public from 31 July to 17 August 2026 at its Defence Colony gallery in New Delhi. Bringing together sculpture, installation, drawing, textile, photography, video and participatory practice, the exhibition continues Meher’s long-standing engagement with ecology, migration, labour, memory and the interconnected relationship between people and the natural world. The exhibition will remain open from Monday to Saturday, 11 am to 7 pm.
Root and Route as a Shared Journey
The exhibition takes its title from the interconnected ideas of “root” and “route”, exploring how belonging and movement coexist rather than oppose one another. While roots signify continuity and place, routes represent migration, exchange and transformation. Through these ideas, Meher examines how landscapes, identities and collective histories are continuously shaped by environmental change, migration and cultural encounters. The works invite visitors to reflect on care, coexistence and the lasting traces that experiences leave within both material and memory.
Materials Shaped by Memory
Working across disciplines for more than two decades, Monali Meher has developed an artistic language centred on process and materiality. Organic matter, reclaimed objects, textiles, earth, glass and found materials are assembled through layering, weaving and repetition, creating works that evolve rather than remain fixed. Ecological systems emerge throughout the exhibition as interconnected networks where trees, roots, seeds, landscapes and water become metaphors for resilience, regeneration and adaptation.
Among the featured works are:
- Spirit House
- Where Is the Soul?
- Bound/Unbound
- Unknown Landscape
- Rooted
- Ghadamodi
- Spiced Auroras
- In the Shard, the Landscape Remembers Itself
Together, these works examine displacement, continuity and belonging through installations that encourage close observation and contemplation.
Participatory Engagement
Extending beyond static display, the exhibition includes Between Steps, a participatory work that combines movement, conversation and collective reflection. Rather than positioning audiences as passive viewers, the project encourages shared experiences and dialogue around the exhibition’s central themes.
This participatory approach has become a recurring aspect of Meher’s practice, which frequently brings together communities, performance and site-responsive installations to explore relationships between people and place. Her work has been presented internationally at institutions including Tate Modern, MAXXI Museum in Rome, Museum Arnhem and several international biennales, reflecting a career that bridges cultures and disciplines.
About the Artist and Organiser
Born in Maharashtra in 1969 and currently based in Ghent, Belgium, Monali Meher graduated from Sir J. J. School of Art, Mumbai. Her multidisciplinary practice spans sculpture, installation, drawing, photography, video and performance, often investigating migration, identity, ecology and collective memory through immersive, materially driven works. Recent exhibitions have continued her exploration of these themes across Europe and India.
Established in 2010, LATITUDE 28 has become known for supporting experimental contemporary art through exhibitions, publications and public programmes. Led by founder and director Bhavna Kakar, the gallery has developed a platform that encourages dialogue between artists, institutions, collectors and audiences while promoting contemporary artistic practices from South Asia and beyond.
Visitor Information
| Event | Details |
|---|---|
| Event Name | Walking Root Route |
| Artist | Monali Meher |
| Venue | LATITUDE 28, B-74, Ground Floor, Block B, Defence Colony, New Delhi (Google Map) |
| Exhibition Dates | 31 July – 17 August 2026 |
| Gallery Timings | Monday to Saturday | 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM |
| Organiser | LATITUDE 28 |
| Entry | Free |
| Website | https://latitude28.com/ |
Takeaway
For audiences interested in contemporary art, Walking Root Route offers an opportunity to engage with questions surrounding migration, environmental change and collective memory through a multidisciplinary practice that combines material experimentation with participatory experience. By connecting personal narratives with broader ecological systems, the exhibition highlights how art can encourage reflection on coexistence, sustainability and shared cultural histories while fostering dialogue between communities and their environments.
