The Sanskrit word rasa, meaning “flavor,” “essence,” or “taste,” is at the heart of an ancient Indian theory of aesthetics that explores the emotional experience of art. First articulated more than two thousand years ago, the concept describes rasa not simply as the emotion expressed by an artist or depicted in a work, but as the feeling that arises through the viewer’s encounter with it—the dynamic exchange between artist, artwork, and audience.
Bringing together paintings, sculptures, and photographs by a global group of artists, this exhibition takes rasa as a point of departure, highlighting artists whose work has the power to elicit a wide range of emotional responses. Through color, form, material, and imagery, they invite viewers to slow down, look closely, and experience the work on an emotional as well as a visual level.
Sundaram Tagore Gallery has long engaged with artists from or inspired by the Indian Subcontinent whose practices explore the human experiences that connect us to one another and to the wider world. From acclaimed Indian artist Sohan Qadri, who incorporated Tantric symbolism and philosophy into his vibrantly colored minimalist works, to London-based American photographer Karen Knorr, whose sumptuous images celebrate the rich visual culture of northern India, each employs a unique visual language that is rooted in tradition yet wholly modern. Together, the works in this exhibition not only evoke rasa, but embody the richness and diversity of artistic practices emerging from and inspired by the region.
Exhibiting artists include Trishla Jain (b. 1985, India), Karen Knorr (b. 1954, Germany), Tayeba Begum Lipi (b. 1969, Bangladesh), Steve McCurry (b. 1950, United States), Sohan Qadri (b. 1932, India – d. 2011), and Neha Vedpathak (b. 1982, India).