Roots and Rebellion: Abhay’s Introspective Journey into Youth, Culture, and Belonging

New Delhi: Roots & Rebellion opens at Bikaner House on 12 September 2025, unveiling a new body of work by contemporary artist Abhay. The exhibition is a deeply personal exploration of youth, patriotism, and cultural identity—woven together through the artist’s reflections on his upbringing, lived experiences, and evolving creative voice.

In Roots & Rebellion, Abhay confronts the question: Why am I the way I am? Through maximalist strokes, intricate storytelling, and a bold use of patterns inspired by the timeless beauty of carpets, the artist seeks to elevate narratives traditionally kept underfoot to a place of prominence—on the walls, as art. His layered compositions blend a Gen Z sensibility with the gravitas of Indian history, resulting in works that are as rooted as they are rebellious.

The series is born from a moment of late realisation—at 27—that his cultural inheritance runs deep enough to form a language of its own. Each work is a visual conversation: sometimes with the self, sometimes with imagined audiences, always with the undercurrent of nostalgia and belonging. Whether it’s an imagined monologue in a solitary room lit by a single bulb, or patterns that challenge Western perceptions of class and patriotism, Abhay’s pieces invite viewers into an intimate, unfiltered dialogue.

By merging abstract pattern-making with personal storytelling, Roots & Rebellion marks a shift in Abhay’s practice—towards a mature, self-assured experimentation that retains the raw energy of his earlier work while embracing the complexity of lived experience.

Exhibition Details:

Venue: Bikaner House, New Delhi
From 12 September 2025 6:30 PM onwards.