The ongoing exhibition by Tarq, is a well-curated paean to something yet not celebrated in our society: Death. So, when the long and deft expertise of an Art Historian and critique Shaleen Wadhwana comes forward to discuss and curate a group exhibition of artists Rithika Merchant, Samanta Batra Mehta, and Savia Mahajan, the echoing theme centres around the universal truths of Life/Death, Belonging and Resurgence.The event is a magnet for the art enthusiasts, the connoisseurs as well as art academicians and historians. Don’t miss the exhibition while in Mumbai!
The artist trio belong to the diaspora who have lived extensively abroad in over 10 cities in three continents but do have a deep longing for Mumbai, a city which they’ve deep physical or emotional ties to. Their longing is captured by “Hiraeth”–a Welsh term that means an intense longing for a home, where one may have never been. This is the all-encompassing theme and thread that runs through the exhibition. While how it finds expression through geography, region, ethnicity, memories, legacies, Cultural Heritage, and how members of society create their identity run through the exhibits, in fact the style, medium and creativity of each one of them is quite distinct.
Rithika Merchant (b. 1986) who shuffles her time between Mumbai and Barcelona holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts from Parsons – The New School for Design, New York. Few of the recent solo shows have been at Tarq, Mumbai, Galeria Bien Cuadrado, Barcelona and Galeria Combustion Espontanea, Madrid.
New Delhi born Samanta Batra Mehta is based out of New York and received Joan Mitchell Foundation ‘s 2014-2015 Painters & Sculptors Grant Award. She has exhibited solo shows at Shrine Empire, Delhi, Sakshi Gallery, Mumbai and at Art Basel HongKong in the ‘Discoveries’ section.
Savia Mahajan graduated from the L.S. Raheja School of Art, Mumbai and is better known for her artwork in ceramics. Liminal was her first solo exhibition at Tarq Mumbai followed by Resurgō at TARQ’s booth, Art Basel HongKong 2019.
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