The Lalit Kala Academy will be transformed into a visual tribute to Odisha and its classical dance Odissi over six days. In Let a Thousand Flowers Bloom, the sensual curves, silences and rhythms of the Odyssey move off the stage and onto canvas, paper and photograph. At the center of this exhibition is Datuk Ramli bin Ibrahim – dancer, choreographer and founder of the Sutra Foundation (dedicated to promoting and preserving traditional and contemporary performing arts) – whose interpretation of Odissi has inspired artists for decades. Bringing together paintings, drawings and photographs from 21 artists from India and Malaysia, many of the works respond directly to Ramli’s body, presence and philosophy, treating him as both a medium and an inspiration.
The exhibition is also a tribute to the late artist and scholar Dr. Deenanath Pathy, who linked dance with visual work and contributed to the sutra in many ways. Traveling through Chennai, Bhubaneswar and Malaysia, the exhibition showcases Odissi as a living art, where the essence of its movements lives beyond the display.
From Bhubaneswar, series by artist Helen Brahma, Penari Ulung (The Transcendental Dancer), explores her relationship between textiles and culture. At the center of his work is the Sambalpuri cloth, which is draped around Odissi dancers. “The ikat motifs used all over the dancers’ bodies are close to my cultural roots,” says Helen. The paintings symbolize divine femininity, but are also inspired by Ramli’s movements that have deeply influenced her. Similarly, another Chennai-based artist, AV Ilango, has used acrylic on canvas to bring out the subtle movements and beauty of the dance form. The palette is ripe with the colors of India – mango yellow, marigold, chilli red, royal purple, peacock blue, emerald and parrot green which embrace the dancers’ costumes.
Expanding the dialogue between motion and image, the exhibition also presented a series of photographic works. For example, Malaysian photographer Diana Lui’s series of photographic prints presented in the exhibition is a selection from a larger collection of works made in the 1990s. The pictures on canvas follow a young Ramli, and her dancers caught mid-dance style, as their bodies sway to the beat of the music. Diana says, “I come from a dance background. For me, everything is linked to movement – body movements are deeply connected to how we express our inner identity.”
Malay artist Shivaraj Natarajan, who also works as a curator of Malaysian artists, sees his canvases as a visual stage where drama, emotion and rhythm are displayed with clarity. A fascinating artwork called The Great Migration symbolizes ancient stories Matsya AvatarFish incarnation of Vishnu. The work re-imagines these ancient stories through rising sea levels around the world today. If you look carefully, even the shadow is telling some story. “People think there is nothing in shadow, it is all black, but in my paintings, both shadow and light have their own feelings,” says Shivraj. The hazy shadow of the Jagannath Temple in Puri looms in the background, drawing the viewer closer to Odisha.
Sacred Moments by Shalini Biswajeet | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
“The aim is to create contemplative spaces where movement stops, sound merges into silence, and the spirit of Odissi resonates anew,” says artist Shalini Biswajit, Chennai curator and participating artist. One of his artworks shows a dancer moving right in the middle of the drama that surrounds each dance piece. She adds, “I have tried to capture the essence of Odissi through color and metaphor, while each artist brings their own distinct response to the form.”
Papier Kole by Mayura Mukh, VV Ramani | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
In the work of artist VV Ramani, collage is the medium the artist has used to interpret the theme. It is a work that requires repeated observation: small, carefully placed images come together to create a sense of pattern, rhythm and motion. Unlike traditional painting, which uses colors, pencils and watercolors or oils to create an image, Ramani finds the unexpected elements in collage exciting because the final shape of the artwork is not revealed until it is finished.
His artworks touch on themes such as Navarasa – the nine fundamental emotions in Indian classical arts, and Krishna, a figure often depicted in the Odissi dance style. Ramani says, “I have always had a special love for Krishna, who is much loved in folklore and Ashtapadi. This passion keeps drawing me towards his stories and inspires me to create different types of collages.” Devoid of visible brush strokes, the work deeply resonates movement and meaning through complex construction.
Let a Thousand Flowers Bloom becomes not just an exhibition but a meditation on movement – where rhythms turn into colors, and dance into images. It reminds its audience again and again how art in all its forms is always universal in nature.
Let a Thousand Flowers Bloom event is running from 11am to 7pm till January 29 at Lalit Kala Academy, Grymes Road. entry fee
published – January 27, 2026 05:03 PM IST