Pancha-Tattva: Material Matters — Crafting Art, Architecture and Design

Gallery Kolkata’s Delhi debut explores the intersection of art, architecture, and design through the philosophy of the five elements

Gallery Kolkata hosted the preview of its inaugural Delhi exhibition “Pancha-Tattva | पंच-तत्व : Material Matters – Crafting Art, Architecture and Design,” curated by Ankon Mitra.

Walking into the exhibition feels almost like stepping into the studio of a highly imaginative architect, where every artwork reveals a surprising relationship with material. Glass, wood, brass, copper, textiles, and even unexpected elements like goat hair appear transformed into sculptural and tactile works. Each piece carries a distinctive material language, allowing viewers to experience how artists and designers engage in a dialogue with the very substance of their creation.

The exhibition brings together art, architecture, design, and craft in a compelling exploration of materiality. While contemporary art and design fairs increasingly combine these disciplines, this show goes beyond trends to examine the deeper relationship between the maker and the material. Artists, architects, and designers engage directly with the substances they work with, dissolving traditional boundaries between disciplines. What emerges is a dialogue—how material speaks to the maker and how the maker shapes it.

This connection extends beyond the physical into the emotional, intellectual, and even spiritual, reminding us that in an age dominated by technology and AI, the relationship between maker and material remains the true “source code” of creativity.

The exhibition features 29 makers, with almost equal representation of artists, architects, and designers. Senior artists such as Kavita Nayar, Arunkumar HG, Sheela Chamariya, and Srila Mookherjee share the space with designers including Siddhartha Das, Joya Nandurdikar, and Amrita Guha. Contemporary design voices such as Arjun Rathi, Malavika Singh, Babar Afzal, Amrita Nambiar, and Bandana Jain bring their distinct material explorations to the show.

Architects including Sushant Verma, Nitin Barchha, Jwalant Mahadevwala, Kanishka Jain, and Piyusha Patwardhan contribute cross-disciplinary works that challenge conventional boundaries. Artists such as Aakriti Kumar, Pintu Sikder, Parth Parikh, and Jenjum Gadi are recognised for their unique material languages, while emerging voices including Revati Jayakrishnan, Mayadhar Sahu, Abhishek Chakraborty, Chandrapal Panjre, Srinia Chowdhury, and Keshav Gupta add fresh perspectives to the show. Renowned curator Neerajj Mittra also participates in the exhibition.

The exhibition was graced by eminent art critic Uma Nair as Chief Guest and craft and design expert Ritu Sethi as Guest of Honour. It is presented by gallerist Meghna Agarwala, founder of Gallery Kolkata, bringing a bold new voice from Kolkata to Delhi’s cultural landscape.

The preview was also attended by distinguished art personalities including Asit Patnaik, Prayag Shukla, and Sushma Bahl, along with artists, architects, designers, collectors, and members of the art fraternity.

At the conceptual core of the exhibition are five materials symbolising the Pancha-Tattva, the five fundamental elements of existence. Concrete represents Fire, wood signifies Earth, glass embodies Water, textiles evoke Air, and metals such as copper, brass, and bronze represent Space or Ether. Through these elemental materials, the exhibition celebrates the timeless relationship between maker, material, and nature.

The exhibition remains open to the public till 19 April, between 11:00 am and 7:30 pm, at Gallery Kolkata, Greater Kailash II, New Delhi.