A requiem for a nation’s history

A centenary celebration of one of India’s most versatile modernists, Satish Gujral, pays tribute to the painter, sculptor, muralist, architect and thinker’s extraordinary seven-decade journey, whose art continues to define India’s modern visual and cultural identity.

In collaboration with the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), the Ministry of Culture and the Government of India, this major retrospective, curated by Kishore Singh, brings together a constellation of exhibitions and programmes across India, tracing Gujral’s evolution from muralist to modernist, and artist to architect.

“This exhibition takes a sweeping view of Gujral’s career as an artist who shaped his own destiny within that of a newly born nation and its challenges, moving from occasionally faltering steps to those that confidently scaled the heights of ambition,” said Singh.

Born in Jhelum (now in Pakistan), Gujral’s journey was marked by both personal and national upheaval. A childhood accident that left him hearing-impaired deepened his inner world and propelled him toward visual expression. Trained at the Mayo School of Art, Lahore, and the Sir JJ School of Art, Bombay, he came of age among a generation of modern masters, including VS Gaitonde, MF Husain, Tyeb Mehta and Krishen Khanna. In his early years, Gujral was influenced by the socialist vision of his parents. He was first mentored by his father, who introduced him to poetry and politics. Later, his brother IK Gujral instilled in him a conviction that art could serve as a powerful catalyst for social change.

The Partition of India left an indelible mark on Gujral’s early work, as he personally witnessed the horrors of the time, and it left an indelible mark on him. Paintings such as Mourners (1947–48), Snare of Memory (1954) and Days of Glory (1942) captured the anguish and endurance of a generation uprooted by history. These works, raw with empathy and expressionist power, earned him a scholarship to Mexico in 1952, where he apprenticed under Diego Rivera and David Alfaro Siqueiros. Returning to India, Gujral revolutionised muralism, introducing textured, sculptural surfaces crafted from ceramic, stone and metal. Across Delhi and Punjab, his monumental works transformed public spaces into enduring symbols of resilience and renewal.

In the 1970s, he extended his vision into architecture, conceiving buildings as “living sculptures.” His design for the Belgian Embassy in New Delhi became an icon of modern Indian architecture, later listed among the 1,000 Outstanding Buildings of the Twentieth Century. For this achievement, he was awarded the Order of the Crown (Belgium). Other notable projects included the Gandhi Institute in Mauritius, Goa University, CMC in Hyderabad and Al Moughtara Palace in Riyadh. Over his career, he was honoured three times with the National Award for painting and sculpture, and in 1999, he received the Padma Vibhushan.

“His art ranged from the empathetic to the playful, from the poignant to the joyful. Rooted within his own experiences, it became a requiem for a nation’s history — both national as well as individual, and therefore intimate,” added Singh.

Established in 2008 by Mohit and Feroze Gujral, The Gujral Foundation is dedicated to supporting artists, architects and cultural innovators through collaborative platforms and forward-thinking initiatives. Guided by a vision to expand how Indian contemporary art engages with global discourse, the Foundation has spearheaded digital initiatives such as Artdemic and Vuedemic.

As part of the programme, there will be an Architectural Retrospective and Opening of the Gujral House curated by Reha Sodhi. Gujral created the space where home, studio and gallery merged seamlessly. Conceived in the 1950s by Raj Rewal and later reimagined and expanded by Gujral himself, the Lajpat Nagar residence became a sculpture in motion, responsive to its inhabitants, the shifting Delhi light and the passage of time. Over the decades, the Gujral House welcomed a constellation of artists, architects, writers and musicians, not merely as visitors but as collaborators who left their imprint on its evolving spirit.

In 2025, Mohit Gujral restored and adapted the home into an artistic offering for the city, a living site for exhibitions, gatherings and quiet activations. The centre will be managed and curated by the Gujral Foundation, with evolving programming and dialogue designed to keep the space vibrant, relevant and a meaningful contributor to contemporary culture.

Additional highlights through 2026 include the launch of the book, Masterpieces, at the Jaipur Literature Festival, a dedicated installation at the India Art Fair, architecture and design showcases at CEPT, Ahmedabad, retrospectives at NGMA, Bengaluru, and a concluding exhibition at the National Museum, Chandigarh — Gujral’s city of origin.

Satish Gujral: A Century in Form, Fire, and Vision will continue at NGMA, New Delhi, till March 31.