A show of works by one of India’s critically acclaimed Modernist artists

Krishen Khanna is considered one of most celebrated Modernists who indeed has had a profound influence on several other Indian artists. A grand retrospective exhibition charts the creative journey of the prominent artist whose career spans several decades and encompasses many defining milestones.

The retrospective show, which follows the 2007 exhibit hosted by Saffronart at London’s Royal Academy of Art, includes more than 120 works, featuring many iconic paintings, which bring out the vibrant and vivacious nature of his art practice. The artist states, “It traces the graph of my career, which has spanned several decades. It’s a selection of my most acclaimed artworks.”

On view are many of his recent paintings as well as his most significant early works. The paintings and drawings track the evolution of India as a nation and its people through a series of important events, such as the Partition. The works on display not only trace his remarkable career, but also highlight his technical virtuosity, complex narratives, and his interest in human relationships.

For example, regarding his famous series of bandwallahs (musicians) in the 1970s, the artist has once explained: “Some people would have me disassociate the drawing completely from the actual bandwallahs to preserve some kind of 'Purity'. I cannot think that this kind of 'Purity' can add any kind of richness, so I neither obliterate my sources nor the transformations they undergo on canvas or on paper.”

He remembers the musicians to whom the sahibs and the memsahibs in Lahore would fondly listen. To him, there’s a tinge of sadness about them in spite of the colorful compositions. He adds: “In my compositions, I’ve always tried to capture human emotions, and not make life studies." The works are on view at the Lalit Kala Akademi (LKA), New Delhi.