'Sardhubaatu is about the quiet process of becoming'

ChampaTree Art Gallery opened Sardhubaatu: Put Together, Somehow, a solo exhibition by Ravi Chunchula, on Friday, at the Main Hall, Bikaner House, New Delhi. Curated and presented by Archana Sapra and Pooja Bahri, the exhibition brings together a new body of work that reflects on the quiet and often unseen ways in which individuals are shaped slowly by their surroundings, routines, and social frameworks.

The word Sardhubaatu, drawn from Telugu, loosely translates to “put together” or “arranged.” In Chunchula’s practice, however, the phrase resists neat resolution. His figures appear composed yet tentative, calm yet inwardly charged, suggesting states of being that are continuously negotiated rather than fixed.

Speaking about the exhibition, Ravi Chunchula said, “Sardhubaatu is about the quiet process of becoming. It reflects how we are constantly shaped by what we see, where we stand, and who we are surrounded by. These works are less about telling a story and more about holding a moment where things feel temporarily aligned, even if imperfect.”

Rendered primarily on rice paper, the works allow pigment to settle organically into the surface, staining and breathing with time. This fragile materiality becomes central to the exhibition’s visual language and echoes how experiences accumulate gradually, leaving subtle traces on identity and perception. A restrained palette of greys and earthen hues creates an atmosphere of stillness, punctuated by gentle accents of ochre, red, green, and blue that register internal shifts rather than overt drama.

Commenting on the exhibition, Archana Sapra and Pooja Bahri, gallerists at ChampaTree Art Gallery, shared, “Ravi’s work speaks through restraint. There is a deep attentiveness in the way his figures inhabit space. They appear quiet, grounded, and profoundly human. With Sardhubaatu, we were drawn to how subtly the works reflect contemporary existence without spectacle or excess, allowing viewers the space to pause and reflect.”

Rather than portraying specific individuals, Chunchula’s figures evoke a shared psychological condition. They occupy everyday spaces, suspended between habit and awareness, solitude and collective presence. Narrative is deliberately withheld, allowing viewers to encounter the works through observation and introspection rather than explanation.

Marking the opening evening, the exhibition was accompanied by a live theatre performance titled Where Is My Mind?, conceived by Rohit Chauhan and ensemble. Presented as a time-bound experiential intervention within the gallery space, the performance explored mental and social constructs such as belief, conformity, influence, and freedom through physical movement and visual symbolism. Following the opening evening, the exhibition continues as a painting-led presentation, inviting sustained engagement with Chunchula’s works in silence and contemplation.Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Women's day wishes, messages and quotes !