Running concurrently at Hyderabad’s Kalakriti art gallery are Liminal Threshold, a solo exhibition by Sumit Sarkar; a special viewing of sculptures by British artist Ann Carrington; and In the Viewing Room, a curated presentation bringing together works by 15 artists working across mediums.

Gallery director Rekha Lahoti says the three presentations were conceived as separate experiences, and not as parts of a single thematic exhibition. Together, they offer art enthusiasts an opportunity to move between expressions of memory, thematic experimentation and upcycling found material.

While each collection stands independently, they reflect the range of contemporary art practices, from painting and sculpture to embroidery, paper work, installation and mixed media.

Memories in folds: Liminal Threshold by Sumit Sarkar

At the centre of the gallery is Liminal Threshold, a solo exhibition by Delhi-based artist Sumit Sarkar, curated by Ruchi Sharma. The show explores the spaces between memory and imagination, reality and dreams, through paintings that draw on personal experiences, cultural memory and the subconscious.

Throughout the exhibition, familiar domestic objects like pillows, mattresses, folded fabrics and stitched surfaces appear repeatedly. These everyday objects become vessels carrying traces of memory, absence, comfort and emotional weight. Mythological figures emerge within his works, creating visual narratives that move between the subconscious and reality.

Rekha was drawn to the memories embedded in Sarkar’s paintings. “He has got a lot of stories to tell from the folds within,” she says, adding that his recollections of Kolkata give the works a personal quality.

The works resist straightforward interpretation, instead inviting viewers to spend time with each piece and associate it with their own memories and familiarity. Pieces like The Red Coils and Beneath the Silence commonly invoke a feeling of discomfort within viewers, while Journey represents a distant dream.

Sumit Sarkar aims to have his audience connect with his art, but leaves it open to interpretation. “I believe that viewers have complete freedom to read a painting according to their own background, situation and space,” he says.

Cutlery in bloom with Ann Carrington

In a dedicated salon-style space away from the main gallery, visitors encounter the works of British artist Ann Carrington, whose Hyderabad debut transforms ordinary cutlery into intricate sculptural forms. Using discarded forks, spoons, and knives, Carrington creates works that resemble elaborate floral arrangements and decorative objects.

The presentation features sculptures including Keserwan, Kousa, Valfreda and Belle De Crecy, each constructed from silver, nickel and steel-plated cutlery. Viewed from a distance, they resemble lush bouquets. Up close, individual spoons and forks reveal themselves, exposing the labour and craftsmanship behind the works.

Rekha says the gallery intentionally created a separate viewing area for the artist’s works to allow art lovers to engage with the details of each piece. “What makes her sculptures special is the way she transforms discarded cutlery — forks, spoons and knives — into mesmerising works of art,” she says. “Her practice beautifully combines creativity, craftsmanship and sustainability.”

Along with a separate salon, allowing you to dive deeper, audio-visual material documenting Ann Carrington’s process accompanies the sculptures, allowing visitors to see how the artist bends, welds, and assembles each component.

The artist says, “These mundane objects already carry their own histories. When rearranged or reshaped, they take on new meaning as sculpture.”

A little bit of everything: In the Viewing Room

Completing this trilogy is In the Viewing Room, a curated presentation featuring 15 artists working across painting, sculpture, and mixed media. Unlike a traditional group exhibition organised around a common theme, this display brings forward a collection of works that showcase different artistic approaches and materials.

What makes the presentation compelling is the absence of a single narrative thread. “We could not really give it a group identity because every work is different,” says Rekha. “You cannot say this work goes with that work. Thematically, they also do not necessarily intersect. So we thought of it as a curated display.”

Visitors can discover the exhibitions in their own way. Some may gravitate toward Sumit Sarkar’s introspective paintings, while others may be drawn to Ann Carrington’s sculptural installations or the varied artistic voices in In the Viewing Room. Regardless of preferences, an art lover can leave the exhibitions with a newfound connection with contemporary art.

(The exhibitions are on view at Kalakriti Art Gallery, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad, till August 18)

(The writer is an intern with The Hindu)