In the quiet intensity of Jogen Chowdhury’s work, one finds a world shaped not by grandeur, but by restraint. His lines do not shout; they hum — weaving stories of vulnerability, isolation, and desire through seemingly simple figures that carry both weight and silence. A new exhibition, Roop Aroop, now on view at Dhoomimal Gallery in New Delhi, revisits the artist’s decades-long exploration of the human form and psyche.
Curated by Abhishek Kashyap, the exhibition brings together works that reflect Jogen’s lifelong commitment to introspective figuration and socio-political nuance. Running from 26 April to 23 May 2025, the show offers a chance to engage with one of modern India’s most distinctive visual languages.
Jogen’s personal history is deeply entwined with the Partition of Bengal, and the sense of dislocation it left behind continues to echo through his art. His figures—often caught in ambiguous expressions or distorted postures—appear suspended between the real and the imagined.
Though minimal in palette, Jogen’s work carries emotional heft. His recurring themes—reinterpretations of mythological icons, solitary female forms, and quietly satirical political imagery—are rendered with a detached empathy. There is critique, certainly, but rarely judgement.
Roop Aroop does not aim to celebrate so much as it offers a moment of pause. It is an invitation to consider the subtle interplay of line, form, and feeling that defines Jogen’s practice—where absence is as meaningful as presence, and distortion is another mode of truth-telling.
The exhibition is open daily from 11 am to 7 pm at Dhoomimal Gallery, Connaught Place.