Shobha Bruta (centre) in an interactive session with students at Mocha Art Café. Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
His abstract paintings in Shobha Bruta’s show, The Lightness of Being, look deceptively simple. Large canvases of blue, ochre, red and fuchsia that soothe the nerves. Upon closer inspection, the canvases appear intricate and layered with detail. Threads and wool appear stretched to create attractive abstract patterns. The show, a collaborative program of the Kochi Muziris Biennale, highlights the essence of the veteran artist’s creations. Ina Puri, the show’s curator, says, “I wouldn’t call it a retrospective, it includes works from the past and present. It’s an excellent collection of his works.”
Ina has known the artist and her family for over 30 years and is well aware of Shobha’s artistic preferences. A trained Hindustani classical singer (she completed her Sangeet Visharad degree in classical singing. Shobha is also a sitar player), music is the foundation of Shobha’s art practice. “The works in the show are a combination of sound, music, touch and memory,” says Ina, who spent several months reading Shobha’s works as part of her curatorial journey.
An act from Shobha Bruta’s show. Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Ina, who is also a writer, describes Shobha’s approach as “immersed, calm and luminous”. “The music continues to play while the artist continues his work – mixing colors, then deftly dipping his fingers on the palette before throwing them on the canvas. It’s almost meditative. I sit in the gallery and just soak up everything,” says Ina, who believes it is important to know the artist on a personal level to be able to curate his work. “My catalogs are often like personal essays,” she says.
Eighty-two-year-old Shobha was born in Delhi in 1943; And after training in music, he did a Diploma in Fine Arts from the College of Art, Delhi in 1964. While Shobha began her artistic career with paintings and figurative works, she later moved into abstract works and began exploring the possibilities of using fabric and thread. “Looking at her paintings, it’s hard to tell where the threads end and where the painting begins, or vice versa,” says Ina.
On display at Mocha Art Café, it is housed in a 400-year-old heritage Dutch building, with large windows opening out to the blue sky and busy streets of the Jewish City. “The blue of Kochi’s water and sky, the colors of the sun… resonate in Shobha’s canvases,” says Ina.
Presented by Ardi Foundation, the show also featured students who were brought together for an interactive session with Shobha. “Through the Foundation, we find a common space for the integration of art and education,” says Shefali Verma, chairperson of The Ardi Group and advisor to the board of the Kochi Muziris Biennale. “Showcasing Shobha’s deeply contemplative works at the heritage site enhanced the entire experience,” says Shefali.
The Lightness of Being, supported by Gallery Space, is on until March 31 at Mocha Art Café, Jew Town.
published – February 09, 2026 02:56 PM IST