Reimagining faces and histories: Chennai hosts portraiture exhibit

Portraiture is one of the oldest and most powerful art forms, offering a window into human emotions, history, and identity. However, for Jaiveer Johal, a passionate collector, portraiture is much more than a part of his extensive collection of classical, modern, and contemporary Indian art — it is a gateway to understanding history and society, a way to explore how society and culture have evolved over time.

Avtar Foundation for the Arts, founded by Jaiveer, aims to promote modern and contemporary South Asian visual arts in Chennai. Named after Jaiveer’s mother, Avtar Johal, the foundation seeks to bring top-quality art to the city, support talented local artists, and connect them with art patrons. It is now coming up with its debut exhibition, Untitled: Portraiture through the Avtar Collection, that delves into the enduring appeal of portraiture.

“For me the portrait is a portal — it allows us to access another world, not only in the sense of harking back in time but also the internal world of the painter and his subject. It allows us to peel the layers of persona, personality and appearances and study the politics, ethics and social mores of the subject,” says Jaiveer

Jaiveer’s journey, spanning over seven years of serious art collecting, highlights his fascination with portraiture as a “portal in time.” According to Jaiveer, each piece, whether from centuries ago or today, reflects not just the individuals depicted but also the cultural milieu that shaped them.

The inaugural exhibition, centered on portraiture, seeks to present the medium in all its richness. With around 50 artworks — curated by Anish Kavande — the show narrates the evolution of portraiture from traditional depictions to modern interpretations.

The collection opens with Rajput miniatures depicting power and heritage, alongside vibrant pichwais exuding divine splendour. As it unfolds, contemporary works by artists such as Nandini Valli Mutiah, Lionel Wendt, and Rekha Rodwittiya reimagine portraiture — merging raw vulnerability, imaginative fantasy, and bold innovation.

This diversity is what makes portraiture an ideal medium to begin exploring modern and contemporary art. As Jaiveer notes, “It’s very interesting to see how society today is showing portraiture compared to 50 or 100 years ago.” The dynamic interplay of tradition and innovation is at the heart of this art form’s appeal.

Jaiveer further explains that despite thriving visual art scenes in cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru, Chennai has a noticeable gap when it comes to accessible contemporary art spaces. This observation led to the creation of a foundation aiming to bridge this divide by curating exhibitions that introduce Chennai audiences to the breadth and depth of modern art.

Free entry. December 12 to19,10 am to 5 pm. At Alliance Française of Madras, Nungambakkam.