SHOBHA BROOTA

Shobha Broota, born in 1943 in New Delhi, is an accomplished Indian artist whose career spans multiple decades and diverse artistic expressions. She completed her Diploma in Fine Arts from the College of Art, New Delhi, in 1964, and also holds a Sangeet Visharad, having trained in classical Indian vocal music. This dual background in visual arts and music deeply informs her creative practice, with her work reflecting a profound resonance with the rhythms and subtleties of classical Indian ragas. Broota's art exudes a meditative quality, marked by tranquillity and a deceptive simplicity that invites deeper reflection.

Broota's early works spanned portraiture, figurative compositions, and abstract forms, demonstrating a versatility in both subject matter and medium. She experimented with printmaking, particularly etchings and woodcuts, where bold use of colour and emerging abstract imagery hinted at the philosophical and contemplative nature that would later define her oeuvre. Over time, her practice evolved into a form of visual meditation, where the act of painting became a spiritual process. Broota approaches the blank canvas with an uncluttered mind, allowing her minimalist yet intricate forms to emerge organically. Her works, often composed with subtle lines, rhythmic movement, and rich colour, evoke a deep sense of serenity.

Throughout her career, Broota has pushed the boundaries of her medium, incorporating unconventional materials such as string, wool, and silk into her canvases. Her use of these tactile elements, often hand-knitted and stretched across the surface, creates intricate grids and patterns that add texture and depth to her abstract compositions. This unique fusion of materials and form is evident in her recent exhibitions, including A Path Beyond, Edge of Infinity, and Sutra, where the spiritual and material worlds converge in a harmonious balance.

Broota's work has been exhibited extensively both in India and internationally, with her pieces housed in prominent national galleries and private collections worldwide. She has participated in numerous residencies and workshops, and her contributions to the field have been recognized through prestigious awards, including fellowships from the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, and the Sahitya Kala Parishad. Her collaboration with the late art critic Keshav Malik on the book *Vesture of Being* further cements her position as a significant figure in contemporary Indian art. Broota continues to live and work in New Delhi, where her practice remains an exploration of the abstract and the transcendental.