The National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), Mumbai, in association with Gallerie Splash, is presenting two landmark retrospectives of leg...
The National Gallery of Modern
Art (NGMA), Mumbai, in association with Gallerie Splash, is presenting two
landmark retrospectives of legendary artists Ratan Parimoo (89 years) and Naina
Dalal (90 years). Ace actor Anupam Kher lit up the occasion as he inaugurated
the shows, graced by the presence of artists Ratan Parimoo and Naina Dalal,
along with diplomats, curators, and leading figures from Mumbai’s art
fraternity, including Daniel Quer Confalonieri (Consul General, Embassy of
Argentina), Farhana Ahmed Chowdhury (Deputy High Commissioner, Embassy of
Bangladesh), IAS Nidhi Choudhari (Director - NGMA Mumbai), Curatorial Advisor
for the two retrospective shows Girish Shahane, Gallerist Jinoy Payyappilly and
independent curator and art historian Gauri Krishnan, among others.
Opening on a light-hearted note,
Anupam Kher began his speech, remarking, “I feel very fortunate to have been
invited to Ratan ji’s and Naina ji’s exhibition showcased here at NGMA, Mumbai.
Back in the day, when I was looking for work, I would often come to NGMA - for
the air-conditioning (smiling), and to admire the paintings of great artists
like Tyeb Mehta and Akbar Padamsee. Their works reflected their life journeys,
and at drama school we were taught to learn from painters and their art, so
these visits meant a lot to me.”
Speaking about the artists, he
shared, “The quiet strength they possess, and their love story… what a
beautiful love story it is! They transported me into their world: Ratan ji
growing up in Kashmir, moving to Baroda, meeting Naina ji as a young artist, then
both journeying to London together and painting side by side. From a cinematic
point of view, it’s extraordinary. Even the way they worked - each painting in
different rooms, expressing their own visions, then returning to the world with
their art, is profoundly moving. I feel enriched today for having been part of
this event; I leave here a richer person for having met them.
The retrospective of Padmashri
awardee Ratan Parimoo (titled Pioneer Abstractionist) - painter, art historian,
writer, and pedagogue, revisits his abstract works from 1958 to 1973. This rare
gathering of more than 40 paintings, drawings and prints charts his early
explorations of line inspired by Jain and Egyptian art, his embrace of gestural
abstraction, and his constant experimentation that redefined the language of
painting in India.
Running alongside is Naina
Dalal: The Silent Fire Within, a sweeping retrospective of over 150 drawings,
paintings, and prints by one of India’s pioneering women artists. Born in 1935
in Vadodara, Dalal’s career embodies resilience, experimentation, and an
unwavering commitment to creativity across painting and printmaking. From her
training at the Faculty of Fine Arts, Baroda, to advanced studies in London and
New York, she mastered etching, aquatint, collagraphy, and lithography, pushing
technical boundaries while infusing her works with quiet intensity. Her art
reflects a deep engagement with social realities, especially the condition of
women across history, their struggles and emancipation, often presented with
sensitivity and quiet strength.
The parallel retrospectives
stand as tributes to lifetimes devoted to art, scholarship, and truth, and
visitors have a rare opportunity to witness this until the 12th of October,
2025 at the National Gallery of Modern Art, Sit Cowasjee Jahangir Public Hall,
MG Road, Fort, Mumbai.
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