Gulammohammed Sheikh’ s Grand Retrospective at KNMA, Saket
Step into a world where past and present blend seamlessly, where literature and visual art converse freely, and where every canvas is a portal into a story rich with history, culture, and layered meaning. The Kiran Nadar Museum of Art (KNMA) in Saket, New Delhi, is currently hosting a monumental retrospective of one of India’s most celebrated artist-poets and cultural thinkers—Gulammohammed Sheikh.
Titled Gulammohammed Sheikh: A Retrospective, the exhibition is more than just an artistic showcase; it is a deeply personal journey across six decades of the Padma Bhushan awardee’s expansive career. Featuring over 190 works, the show offers a panoramic view of Sheikh’s artistic evolution, exploring the many mediums and styles he has embraced while foregrounding his identity as a painter, poet, art historian, and cultural commentator.
Born in 1937 in Gujarat, Sheikh’s career spans eras of significant transformation in the Indian art world. This exhibition, curated with remarkable depth and sensitivity, brings together an extensive range of his creations—from early gouaches and intricate oil paintings to pen-and-ink drawings, graphic prints, and his more recent experiments with digital collages. Each work carries traces of his life experiences, his academic training, his love for literature, and his deep engagement with historical and cultural narratives.
What makes Sheikh’s work stand out is its multi-layered complexity. His paintings often bring together diverse visual languages, combining miniature painting traditions with contemporary aesthetics. The narratives within his canvases are often intertextual—referencing mythology, history, politics, and poetry all at once. His art resists simplistic categorisation, instead inviting the viewer to explore the interplay between word and image, past and present, East and West.
Also on display are Sheikh’s accordion books, a format he has used masterfully to unfold stories across space and time, along with a selection of his poems that add yet another dimension to his artistic voice. These works blur the boundary between visual art and literature, creating an immersive experience that echoes his belief in the unity of all art forms.
Sheikh’s engagement with ceramics and sculptural forms is also given due attention, with ceramic objects and large-scale installations adding further texture to the exhibition. These works demonstrate his interest in materiality and spatial storytelling—how an object or structure can evoke memory, identity, and cultural heritage.
Perhaps one of the most striking elements of the show is how it offers a parallel narrative of Indian art itself. As viewers walk through the different phases of Sheikh’s work, they are also witnessing the shifting tides of Indian modernism—from its early post-Independence experiments to the more global, digital-inflected art practices of today. Through Sheikh’s personal lens, one can trace broader questions around identity, belonging, and the role of the artist in society.
The retrospective is an invaluable opportunity to engage with an artist whose contributions go far beyond the canvas. Sheikh is also known for his writings on art and his role as a mentor to generations of artists, curators, and scholars. His ability to bridge disciplines, languages, and geographies is what makes this show not just a display of artworks but a profound intellectual and emotional experience.
On view until June 30, 2025, at KNMA, DLF South Court Mall, Saket District Centre, New Delhi, this retrospective is a rare chance to experience the many worlds—both real and imagined—of Gulammohammed Sheikh. Whether you are an art enthusiast, a student of history, or simply a curious visitor, this exhibition promises to leave you with a renewed appreciation for the depth and diversity of Indian contemporary art.