A Moment in Modernity
April 16 @ 11:00 am - April 25 @ 7:00 pm IST
“A Moment in Modernity” is a landmark solo exhibition by Haren Thakur, presented by Art Magnum and Gallery Time and Space, and curated by renowned art historian Dr. Alka Pande. A hidden gem from Jharkhand, Thakur is a modernist painter whose deeply personal and poetic visual language fuses tribal art traditions with contemporary aesthetics, drawing from his decades-long engagement with rural life and nature.
Educated at Kala Bhavana, Santiniketan, under modernist greats like Ramkinkar Baij, Somnath Hore, and Benode Behari Mukherjee, Thakur’s work is a product of the humanist legacy of Eastern Indian modernism. He combines Nepalese rice paper, bold earthy tones, and fluid brushwork to explore themes of harmony, spirituality, environmental awareness, and cultural memory.
Inspired by Munda and Birhor rock art, Warli motifs, Egyptian geometry, and everyday life in Jharkhand’s villages, his art celebrates the interconnectedness of man and nature, while offering a critique of urban alienation and modern excess. His figures blend into their natural surroundings, emphasizing empathy, rhythm, and emotional resonance. As the curator states, “His work reflects a deep commitment to preserving authenticity, ensuring that art remains a medium for genuine expression rather than mere aesthetic sophistication.”
The exhibition invites viewers to experience a moment of introspection and reconnection, through a body of work that is at once timeless and urgent, local and universal, and deeply rooted in a modernity that is distinctly Indian.
Preview: April 15, 2025 Meet & Greet with Artist: April 18, 2025 The exhibition will also travel to: Art Magnum, New Delhi (May 4 – June 30, 2025) Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai (August 5 – 11, 2025)