Pushpabaug brings together evolving artist practices emerging from Vadodara, a city with a storied history of nurturing avant-garde art. Named after the iconic address of the Faculty of Fine Arts at The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, the exhibition captures the zeitgeist of a generation in flux. It is a site where local dialogues converge with global discourses, creating fertile ground for innovative and reflective art-making.
The twenty artists -- Chetan Kurekar, Chetan Solanki, Dhruvi Jain, Digvijaysinh Chauhan, Dola Shikder, Hasan Ali Kadiwala, Jahnvi Mistry, Jasmi Paladiya, Krupali Maraviya, Nandhini Sreekumar, Palak Hablani, Pushpa Kumari, Ravi Prajapati, Ritwika Ganguly, Sai Jagadeesh Guttula, Sanaa Aggarwal, Sayanee Sarkar, Shilpeksh Khalorkar, Shreya Ramani and Sursing Rathod, showcased here are not merely presenting works; they are constructing narratives that interrogate and transcend their immediate environments. Each piece is imbued with a critical consciousness, responding to the pressing socio-political and ecological conditions of our times while resonating with universal themes. These artists navigate the complexities of identity, community, and memory, offering a kaleidoscopic view of contemporary existence.
In Pushpabaug, you are invited to witness the intricate interplay of tradition and modernity, the personal and the political. The exhibition weaves together an array of artistic expressions and mediums. The artworks in the exhibition reflect two lines of enquiries. One, on loss, whether it is personal, political, or environmental—the fragility of existence and the pervasive sense of mourning that permeates our contemporary world. While another, examines the intimate realm of the body—producing introspective works that interrogate notions of identity and corporeality. These pieces invite us to confront the visceral and often uncomfortable truths about our physical and psychological selves. The sculptures, meanwhile, highlight the tactile and spatial dimensions of art, engaging viewers in ways that resonate on both a physical and conceptual level.
The title, “Pushpabaug,” metaphorically suggests a garden in bloom, of new voices—not isolated expressions but deeply rooted in the rich soil of their heritage, nourished by the academic rigour and critical engagement fostered at their alma mater.