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Subodh Gupta's retrospective at National Gallery of Modern Art explores rural India through monumental installations.

exhibition · 2026-04-20

The National Gallery of Modern Art in New Delhi hosted Subodh Gupta's retrospective titled 'Everything Is Inside' from 17 January to 16 March 2014, under the curation of Germano Celant. This exhibition showcased impressive installations, such as the mirror-polished steel tree Dada (2010–4) and the site-specific piece Thōsa Pani (Solid Water, 2013), which evokes the imagery of South Asian floods. Another notable work, All in the Same Boat (2012–3), features a suspended wooden ship filled with kitchenware. Gupta's earlier pieces include My Mother and Me (1997) and Pure (1999). By utilizing materials like brass, marble, and stainless steel, he transforms ordinary items into grand sculptures, reflecting aspects of rural Indian life and modern rituals while avoiding nationalist controversies.

Key facts

  • Exhibition dates: 17 January – 16 March 2014
  • Curator: Germano Celant
  • Location: National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi
  • Featured work: Dada (2010–4) – mirror-polished steel tree
  • Site-specific installation: Thōsa Pani (Solid Water, 2013)
  • Installation: All in the Same Boat (2012–3) – suspended wooden ship
  • Early work: My Mother and Me (1997) – cylindrical cowpat structure
  • Material exploration includes cow dung, brass, marble, stainless steel

Entities

Artists

  • Subodh Gupta
  • Germano Celant

Institutions

  • National Gallery of Modern Art
  • ArtReview Asia

Locations

  • New Delhi
  • India
  • Bihar

Sources