The Personal is Mythical explores personal experiences in the larger mythological context

Curated by Bhavna Kakar from LATITUDE 28, The Personal is Mythical displays the recent works of three contemporary Indian artists – Bhajju Shyam, Neha Sahai and Viraj Khanna. The exhibition stands out in the theme as it explores how each of the artists conceptualises their personal experiences – memories, narratives and more and translates them into an artwork which have universal meaning. To understand the exhibition itself, one must understand the meaning of mythology first.

How does The Personal is Mythical spotlight on personal experiences in the universal realm?

By Mythology, we understand the grand epics Ramayana or Mahabharata and their various stories. But on closer understanding, the epics contain nothing but universal truth- truth with several perceptions! And these truth narrow down to personal experiences of each character and wider life lesson at large which in turn forms the culture, the community, the fear, the tradition and more. This is exactly the basis of The Personal is Mythical, where personal imagination, experiences, memory and identity shapes the wider knowledge making canvas the medium of expression.

When it comes to Pardhan Gond, one cannot leave out the name of Bhajju Shyam. He creates paintings that carry ancestral knowledge and oral retellings. One look at his work and one can figure out his style of creativity includes nature, animal imageries, vibrant colours and more. From his canvas one can understand how culture is dynamic and revolving, but most importantly, intimate.

Self –taught artist Neha Sahai creates surreal imageries with a dominance of the fish-face in most of her paintings. Her mediums like water-colour, ink, oil and gouache helps her to celebrate feminine energy through her works. What is intriguing about her series of display is the rejection of idealisation. She prefers to depict feminine forms in its rustic capacity which is grounded in love, nature, poetry, art and through these, show their might and power.

Working amidst textiles, fashion, and art, young artist Viraj Khanna, opens your eyes to the layers recognised, or unrecognised in identity. He uses costumes, textiles, stitches, unstitched etc as a metaphor to what identity means to him. His displays which mostly appear like regular paintings go deep down within its perception and asks the viewer to answer questions like what is the contemporary, what is modernism and the myths around it? What are the results of consumerism?  And above all, what is the ‘self’? His artworks explore transformation, tradition and anxieties to create something visually alluring and intellectually provoking.

The Personal is Mythical brings out the complexities in perceptions and turns them into artworks that makes the viewer think deeply.

What: The Personal is Mythical

Where: LATITUDE 28, New Delhi

When: till August 18, 2025

Timings: 11 am – 7 pm (Sundays closed)

For more updates, join/follow our WhatsApp, Telegram and YouTube channels.