On the evening of June 12, 2026, a major retrospective exhibition of senior artist and art historian Ratan Parimoo opened at Bikaner House, one of New Delhi’s leading cultural venues. For Delhi’s art enthusiasts, the exhibition offers a rare opportunity to witness the remarkable breadth of Parimoo’s artistic and intellectual journey. Presented by Gallery Splash, the exhibition, titled Ratan Parimoo: Grammar of Seeing – A Retrospective of Becoming, is among the most significant art events of the year.
Curated by Satyajit Dave, the exhibition brings together an extraordinary range of material, including paintings, prints, drawings, collages, archival documents, photographs, letters, and personal writings. By tracing Parimoo’s evolution from his earliest drawings to his mature abstract works, the exhibition presents a comprehensive portrait of an artist whose contributions extend far beyond the studio.
Abstraction has long been central to Parimoo’s artistic practice. Born in Kashmir in 1936, he studied under the renowned modernist painter N. S. Bendre, whose distinctive interpretations of the Kashmiri landscape left a lasting impression on him. Yet Parimoo’s own landscapes transcend visual description, conveying emotional and experiential responses to place, memory, and time. His abstract compositions often incorporate unconventional materials such as sand, pebbles, glue, and printed paper, creating richly textured surfaces that expand the expressive possibilities of painting. While many of the works display a minimalist sensibility, others evoke the complexity and intrigue of visual puzzles.
One of the exhibition’s most distinctive features is its thoughtful integration of archival material into the curatorial narrative. Personal correspondence, photographs, lecture notes, catalogues, and writings are displayed alongside the artworks, illuminating Parimoo’s multiple identities as an artist, scholar, educator, and institution builder. This archival dimension enriches the exhibition, revealing the intellectual foundations that have informed his artistic practice over several decades.
The exhibition is organized into three thematic sections—The Observed World, Between Memory and Method, and Abstraction Becomes Language. Together, these sections chart Parimoo’s sustained exploration of abstraction and the experimental processes through which he developed a unique visual language.
Beyond his achievements as a painter, Parimoo has played a pivotal role in shaping the discourse of modern Indian art. In 1956, he co-founded the Baroda Group of Artists alongside artists such as G. R. Santosh, K. G. Subramanyan, Shanti Dave, and Bendre. He later served as Professor and Head of the Department of Art History and Aesthetics at the Faculty of Fine Arts, M. S. University of Baroda, where he influenced generations of artists and scholars. Through his writings, teaching, and institutional leadership, he has been instrumental in advancing the study and understanding of Indian modernism.
In recognition of his exceptional contributions to art and education, Parimoo was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India in 2025.
More than a retrospective, Grammar of Seeing – A Retrospective of Becoming is a celebration of a lifetime devoted to artistic inquiry, scholarship, and cultural engagement. It offers viewers a rare insight into the creative and intellectual evolution of one of India’s most distinguished artists and art historians.
-By Dr. Ved Prakash Bhardwaj
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