Gallery Threshold’s presentation at Art Dubai Contemporary aims to contribute to the global conversation on contemporary art by inviting viewers to explore the subtle complexities of form, material, and concept. The selected works foster a dynamic dialogue between the natural and the man-made, between tradition and modernity, and between material and conceptual expression. This theme resonates with Dubai’s vibrant cultural landscape and aligns seamlessly with the broader discourse of contemporary art.  

Shaurya Kumar’s artworks explore themes of memory, erosion, and the passage of time. His practice involves layering, erasing, and reconstructing images and forms, reflecting the impermanence and decay inherent in cultural and historical artifacts. Utilizing techniques like digital manipulation, printmaking, embroidery, and painting, Kumar creates intricate compositions that evoke the weathered surfaces of ancient structures or eroded landscapes. His work elicits a sense of nostalgia and loss, prompting viewers to consider the transient nature of human creations and the stories they hold. Kumar challenges audiences to question the stability of history and the ways in which we preserve and interpret the past.

In Pandit Khairnar’s work, time emerges as the protagonist, as he transforms pigment into light, enriching the canvas with a sense of motion. At moments of dawn or dusk, Khairnar seeks to capture the effects of light at dawn or dusk—sometimes as a shaded plane of color, other times as a play of shadows swirling through the earth’s dust. Regardless of scale or medium, Khairnar’s pieces envelop viewers in a resonant space that encourages contemplation and self-discovery. His art captures the intangible essence of human experience, translating it into a visceral visual narrative. 

There is something reassuringly traditional in the works of Anindita Bhattacharya. Beauty is not a word that one readily associates with contemporary art yet it is likely to crop up at the first glance at her works. Anindita’s interest in exploring a visual language that is minute, painstaking and obviously inspired by traditions of miniature work acts as a Trojan horse, holding a mirror to contemporary realities. Her works require closer looks to decode disquieting meanings often at odds with the beautiful veneer. Anindita uses a template that recalls a language forged in the imperial Mughal courts of Delhi, Agra, and Lahore as well as provincial courts of Rajasthan and the Punjab hills. Within the contemporary postcolonial art practice of the subcontinent, Anindita emerges as a leading voice who positions herself to claim and further reinvent that heritage. Her recent explorations with hand-cut jaalis inspired by Mughal architecture focus on restructuring the narrative of the Anthropocene, questioning human exceptionalism, anthropocentric arrogance, destruction, and detachment. 

1. Ramesh’s large-scale, vibrant compositions draw inspiration from mythology, poetry, and philosophy. The ethereal quality of his works evokes a deeply introspective mood, underscored by a focus on narrative and temporal layering brought on by his technical application. Ramesh employs a unique technique of screen printing with watercolor along with painting, which he repeatedly washes away to create complex layers of forms and images. This process of adding upon images in plural and polyphonic ways results in intricate, palimpsestic surfaces that bring his imagery to life. Characterized by rich textures and luminous color palettes, Ramesh’s work conveys mystical and transcendental themes, exploring the ephemeral nature of existence and blending the sacred with the everyday.