The Jehangir Art Gallery in Mumbai is set to host a landmark retrospective honoring the life and work of Prafulla Dahanukar, a trailblazer in Indian modernist art. The exhibition, running until December 16, marks the tenth anniversary of her passing and offers a comprehensive look at her artistic legacy.
Organized by her daughters, Gauri Mehta and Gopika Dahanukar, and curated by Dr. Beth Citron, Curator of Modern and Contemporary Asian Art at the Asia Society Museum in New York, the retrospective brings together an extensive collection of Dahanukar’s oeuvre, including her iconic paintings, personal sketches, early prints, and celebrated murals.
Curator of the Retrospective, Dr. Beth Citron, says, “Prafulla Dahanukar’s work remains a deeply intellectual and emotive exploration of abstraction, space, and colour. This retrospective offers an unparalleled opportunity to witness her artistic evolution, from early figurative works to her bold, gestural abstractions. Her contributions to modern Indian art are profound, and this exhibition is a fitting tribute to her legacy.” She adds, “The current retrospective took shape with the intention to reintroduce Prafulla to audiences in Mumbai and beyond. While Prafulla’s name and, to an extent, her canvases are well known, most audiences are not aware of the breadth of her practice across mediums as well as her key role in the development of modernist abstraction in India. We wanted to present all of these facets in the retrospective.”
Gopika Dahanukar says, “Maa’s paintings transpose me to a contemplative mode, one where I feel invited into a spaciousness that allows the moment to play itself as it did when she painted. When she painted, it was like the whole space was alive, witnessing the movement of colours that emerged on her canvas.”
The retrospective is complemented by a special exhibition titled Prerana, celebrating a decade of the Prafulla Dahanukar Art Foundation. This show highlights the works of emerging artists, reflecting Dahanukar’s lifelong dedication to fostering young talent and her vision of creating a vibrant platform for contemporary art in India.
Visitors to the exhibition will have a rare chance to engage with some of Dahanukar’s most influential and lesser-seen works. The showcase delves into her innovative use of color, form, and material, offering a visual and emotional exploration of her artistic philosophy. Her work is characterized by its emotional resonance and intellectual rigor, cementing her legacy as one of India’s foremost modernists.
Dr. Citron has meticulously curated 61 pieces for this retrospective, spanning Dahanukar’s diverse artistic journey. Among the highlights are prints from her time at the prestigious Atelier 17 in Paris and sketches from her 1962 sketchbook, which underscore her modernist sensibilities and experimental spirit. These early works reveal her fearless exploration of artistic frontiers and her pivotal role in shaping the trajectory of modern Indian art.
This retrospective at the Jehangir Art Gallery is not only a tribute to Dahanukar’s unparalleled contributions but also a celebration of her enduring influence on India’s artistic landscape.
