11 new art shows in India we’re excited about this August

History books can erase people’s lived experiences or communities altogether, but art is the medium that can keep seemingly lost traditions and narratives alive. Artists Prabhakar Kamble and Akshay Mahajan come together in this dual show to explore individual and collective memories of communities whose voices are ignored in colonial and official records. While Kamble’s intriguing sculptures continue his exploration of Ambedkarite activism and anti-caste movements, Mahajan’s ongoing People of Clay series highlights the lives of the forgotten peoples of Assam’s Goalpara district through photographs, terracotta figurines and textile fragments. Through this fascinating exhibit, the artists aim to shed light on the unknown and showcase how they defy prejudices one creation at a time.

On view at Jhaveri Contemporary, Devidas Mansion, Merewether Road, Colaba, Mumbai until 16^th August 2025

Madhvi Parekh: Remembered Tales at DAG, New Delhi

She’s one of the pioneers of Indian folk modernism, and one glimpse of her vibrant canvases will tell you why. Inspired by village artworks, modern art techniques and the relationship between people and the environments they inhabit, Madhvi Parekh creates rich and vivid worlds in each of her canvases. A new show in the capital celebrates this famed artist’s journey, including several new works, pages from her sketchbooks and large-format canvases. “Unapologetically different from other artists, Parekh’s work stands etymologically apart—not quite ‘modern’ as most viewers see it, and not quite folk. It is this quality of rawness that has convinced me of her importance to the Indian art world,” explains Ashish Anand, managing director at DAG, about the significance of this monumental exhibition.