What My Mother Didn’t Teach Me… & Some Things She Did! by artist Viraj Khanna is a collection of mixed media pieces. “My sculptures are all in fibreglass. There are paintings on canvas both oil and acrylic. I am also working on hand-embroidered textiles for this show,” says the artist who is the son of designer Anamika Khanna and hence comes with a background of working with textiles and fabrics. Through the collection, Viraj wants to create a legacy and identity of his own, separate from his mother’s. “I wanted to make it clear, in a sartorial way, that this is something I have done on my own,” he says. 

The characteristic motif in all his pieces are exaggerated features of the subjects. The artist says that this is a representation of the battle that exists between our natural instincts and influences of society. “The society we live in shapes the way we speak, behave, and interact with our surroundings. This adaptation makes us ‘put on a face’. It makes us behave in a certain way, almost masking our true nature. My sculptures and paintings depict this behavioural adaptation,” Viraj explains further. The artist is also releasing three NFTs. “The NFTs are all GIF format videos which will be put up on digital screens in the gallery and can be purchased online,” he concludes. This collection will be showcased as a solo exhibition at the Tao Art Gallery in Mumbai and also on their website. 
Until April 3. Online

anagha@newindianexpress.com 
@anaghzzz