A sumptuous new exhibition of screenprints and etchings kicks off our 40th anniversary year, and throws contemporary India into bright and bold relief

In a beautifully vivid exhibition in our Upper Gallery this spring, British-Indian printmaker Natasha Kumar’s hand-drawn screenprints and etchings capture a deep sense of love for her paternal homeland, India. In Natasha’s work we see the country through glorious, boldly coloured snapshots – the sunlight through a diaphanous sari or the steady homeward progress of a woman and her cow. Other pieces explore the women of Mughal palace culture and tales of the Hindu gods, with Natasha’s signature bold colours providing a counterpoint to complex geometric backgrounds.

Key works include ‘Adbhuta Rasa’ (above), which envisions the still beauty of female attendants to the Mogul throne. In ‘Indian Woman – Fired Earth IV’ (top) there is the alluring fall and fold of fabric. Mood and colour conjure a vivid sense of place, alongside the exquisite architectural details – stately chhatris (dome-shaped pavilions) and intricately carved jali windows made of perforated stone or latticed screen, as in ‘Jali Window Triptych’ (below).

Meet the Artist

We are also delighted to announce that Natasha will be joining us on Saturday 24 March, from 2-4pm, for an exclusive ‘Meet the Artist’ event, during which time visitors to the show will be able to chat through Natasha’s inspirations and techniques and listen to the stories behind the works.

Natasha, who divides her time between London and a rural farmhouse, with regular trips back to India for inspiration, comes from a long line of established artists on her mother’s English side and traces her Indian heritage back to Kashmir and Afghanistan via stories of partition and lost family gold.

She first made her name as an artist at the age of 17, earning a place at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition. She studied printmaking at the Venice Accademia di Belle Arti and completed an MA in printmaking at Camberwell College of Art, winning the London Printmaking Prize in 2000, her year of graduation.

Natasha Kumar, ‘India – People and Place’, Upper Gallery, For Arts Sake, free entry, March 22 – April 8, (‘Meet the Artist’ event, Saturday 24 March, 2-4pm, just drop in or email [email protected] for details), 45 Bond Street, Ealing W5 5AS, Mon-Fri, 10am-5.30pm, Sat 10am-6pm, Sun 12-5pm, forartssake.com/natashakumar