Shahid Parvez and Tanushree Chakraborty

Art often stems from shared inspirations, yet every artist interprets and transforms it in their own way. Myths and Memories brings together two artists—one from the East, the other from the West. This exhibition explores that paradox: how a common foundation in folk art can lead to vastly different artistic expressions.

At first glance, Tanushree Chakraborty and Shahid Parvez appear to be opposites, yet their works are deeply personal, shaped by their experiences, stories, and narratives. Their approach to layering—both literal and metaphorical—sets them apart while binding them together.

Tanushree’s work is rooted in history and myth, deeply influenced by her childhood immersed in the stories of the Santhal tribe. She draws inspiration from the Santhal body art tradition, Ulki, where tattoos preserve ancestral history on the skin. Similarly, her canvases become vessels of intricate detailing and mythological storytelling. The concept of Atrinjita—where human history unfolds in grand, exaggerated gestures—runs through her work. She seamlessly blends the traditional with the contemporary, reimagining gods and myths in present-day settings, bridging past and present.

In contrast, Shahid’s works are playful and uninhibited. His layers are not of history but of memories, age, and experience, approached with the imagination of a child—boundless and free. He paints without a fixed plan, allowing the canvas to guide him. His works celebrate spontaneity and joy, revealing the unseen layers that shape human existence. While his themes may seem lighthearted, they hold depth—his use of mixed media, textures, and colors mirrors the complexity of life itself. His art invites us to shed our intellectual masks and approach it with innocence, tapping into the child within us.

Where Tanushree’s brush strokes are deliberate and controlled, Shahid’s are free-flowing and unrestrained. Tanushree reconstructs the past, while Shahid dissolves time, tapping into childlike wonder. Yet, despite these differences, their works resonate with a deeper sense of harmony—both artists peel back layers, whether of time or of the self.
We invite visitors to experience this dialogue: to step into Tanushree’s world of myth and meticulous detail and then lose themselves in Shahid’s world of playful wonder