‘Showkeen’ brings India’s art masters to Hyderabad

At HITEX Exhibition Centre in Hyderabad, art lovers have an opportunity to explore the many moods of nature through the paintings of Mumbai-based artist Vinod Sharma. Presented by AstaGuru, the exhibition ‘Showkeen’ brings together Sharma’s landscapes alongside works by some of India’s celebrated artists, offering visitors a glimpse into the country’s diverse artistic traditions.

The exhibition features works by renowned names including Ganesh Haloi, M.F. Husain, Amrita Sher-Gil, S.H. Raza, Krishen Khanna, P.T. Reddy, Ram Kumar, Vidya Bhushan, Paresh Maity, F.N. Souza, Laxman Pai, Thota Vaikuntam, Bikash Bhattacharjee and Gurucharan Singh, among others.

For Sharma, a landscape is much more than a representation of a particular place. Mountains, rock formations, distant horizons and stretches of earth become starting points for an exploration of colour, texture, light and memory. Some elements may come from places he has visited, while others emerge from recollections and imagination, gradually taking on a life of their own on the canvas.

A closer look at his paintings reveals how the natural world finds expression through subtle variations in colour and surface. The hues may evoke the warmth of a sunrise or the fading light of sunset, while the interplay of shades creates landscapes that appear to shift with changing conditions of light. The effect is not always immediate. It invites viewers to pause, observe and discover details that emerge gradually.

The five elements of nature—earth, water, fire, air and space—find echoes in the textures and colours of his work. Scraped surfaces suggest rugged mountain ranges in one painting and the shifting contours of sand dunes in another. Elsewhere, the movement of colour creates the impression of water, a distant horizon or an unfamiliar terrain. The landscapes remain open to interpretation, allowing each viewer to bring personal memories and associations to the experience.

Light plays an equally important role. The transition between brightness and twilight lends many of the paintings a distinctive atmosphere. Some surfaces recall the stillness of winter, while others carry the warmth of a sunlit landscape. Metallic undertones reminiscent of copper, bronze, gold and silver add further depth to the compositions, giving the terrain a geological character.

Despite their apparent familiarity, Sharma’s landscapes are rarely identical in mood or meaning. Each painting offers a different combination of distance, luminosity, texture and atmosphere. There may be no visible signs of human habitation, yet the viewer is drawn into the scene, imagining the lives, histories or possibilities that might exist beyond the painted horizon.

This openness is central to the experience of his work. The paintings are not necessarily about identifying a location; they are about what a landscape can stir in the mind. One viewer might recognise the outline of a mountain, while another might see a waterscape, a sandstorm or an imagined world shaped by memory. The absence of a clearly defined setting leaves room for these different readings.

An intriguing aspect of Sharma’s practice is his use of a blade to scrape layers of colour pigments while working on the canvas. The process gradually reveals unexpected forms and textures beneath the surface. What begins as an experiment with colour and material can eventually suggest a mountain range, an expanse of water or a dreamlike landscape. The final image often carries an element of surprise, reflecting the exploratory nature of his artistic process.

Sharma studied Fine Arts at the Delhi College of Art before completing his master’s degree at M.S. University in Baroda. His artistic approach reflects a sustained engagement with the natural world, translating its varied surfaces and shifting moods into compositions that are as much about perception as they are about place.

As the artist puts it, “It’s a travel through time and nature with colors on canvas.”

At ‘Showkeen’, Sharma’s paintings sit alongside works by established Indian artists, creating an exhibition that brings together different approaches to art and visual expression. For visitors, the experience offers an opportunity not only to appreciate individual works but also to reflect on the many ways artists interpret the world around them.

The exhibition at HITEX Exhibition Centre, Hyderabad, remains open until 7 pm on October 18.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jaywant Naidu

Jaywant Naidu[email protected]