Pushing the boundaries of space

A landmark show featuring seven shortlisted emerging artists for the Art Centrix Sculpture and Installation Grant 2025–26 is currently running in New Delhi.

Curated by Sibdas Sengupta, ‘Edges of Encounter’ offers a fresh perspective on sculpture and installation not only as outcomes but also as processes deeply embedded in research, gesture, memory and material exploration. Envisioned by Art Centrix Space, the grant is a platform where contemporary artistic practices blur, question and reconfigure. One of the few gallery-led initiatives in India specifically supporting three-dimensional and spatial practices, the programme is committed to fostering experimental thinking and critical engagement across mediums, especially in how we understand the evolving language of sculpture and installation.

Each of the artists, selected from a wide and impressive pool of applicants, is pushing the boundaries of material, space and form. Through his work, Pathik Sahoo speaks about the transformation of landscape and soil caused by man’s own actions. He uses scrap metal from manmade waste, shaping it back into the forms it once was. “We are at the edge of nature’s limits, after taking too much for too long,” said Sahoo, who learned traditional farming techniques when he was young, experiences that continue to shape the way he thinks about labour, material and land.

Artist and practice-based researcher Poojan Gupta’s interdisciplinary practice explores how the ordinary can be transformed into the extraordinary, often through meditative processes and material experimentation. Best known for her sculptural and interactive installations made from discarded pharmaceutical blister packs, her early experiences of making sacred offerings in Hindu temples deeply inform her approach. “Moving from everyday experiences to the values of art and aesthetics, my practice invites us to question what exists, what does not,” explained Gupta.

With a background in hyperrealistic charcoal drawing, Goa-based contemporary figurative artist Sumit Naik constructs intricate paper forms by folding, cutting and shaping the material into geometric frameworks. “Influenced by architecture and geometry, my work delves into the complexities of human emotion — love, grief and resilience,” said Naik.

Contemporary visual and sculptural artist Suraj Kumar Sahu works primarily with terracotta, clay, metal and found objects. Drawing from the architectural language of temples, ruins and naturally eroded surfaces, he investigates the intersections of built heritage, decay and the passage of time. His recent body of work, Bisal of History, explores how ancient structures carry the energy of those who built, worshipped and eventually left them behind. “In this exhibition, my sculpture becomes a site of encounter — where material, history and spirit converge,” said Sahu.

Kolkata-based ceramist Souvik Das’ studio-based practice explores the material and expressive possibilities of clay. “Ceramics has a material uniqueness — the natural character of surfaces is translated through clay. I try to create something new from the destruction and revival of heritage. My style leans toward expressive contemporary abstraction, yet the works can also appear simple, minimal and non-figurative,” explained Das.

Geetanjali Bayan’s practice gradually evolved into a tactile exploration of materials like thread, rope and fabric. She often employs methods such as knitting, stitching and hand-binding — gestures inherited from the domestic and cultural practices she observed growing up in Assam. In her work, she explores feelings of longing, memory and quiet strength — the in-between moments where loss and hope coexist. “The act of making becomes a quiet form of resistance, where strong materials hold delicate emotions,” said Bayan.

Through weathered facades, cracked windows and fading signboards, Prithwish Daw’s work focuses on the vanishing layers of North and Central Kolkata. “Through my work, I’ve tried to archive fragments of memory and architectural elements from the city. The colonial history of Kolkata, and the contrasts between then and now, unfold through these pieces,” said Daw. “This year, we focused on sculpture and installation — disciplines that demand space, material and sustained support. We’ve shortlisted seven standout artists whose practices are fresh, rooted and future-facing. All funds raised will go directly towards supporting these artists and expanding the grant’s reach in the years to come,” added Monica Jain, Curator-Director, Art Centrix Space. Of the seven artists, one selected grantee will receive Rs 2,00,000 and an opportunity to hold a solo show in March 2026.

‘Edges of Encounter’ will run at Art Centrix Space, New Delhi, till August 25.