Gallery FPH: Najma Merchant, Lubina Agarwal And Avantika Khanna Pocha Explore What 'Belonging' Means

Mumbai's perception of belonging encompasses diverse aspects: cherished locations, influential people, and elusive emotions. From November 1 to 15, Gallery FPH in Nariman Point showcases a group exhibition titled Belonging, featuring three artists who interpret these concepts through unique visual styles. The exhibition includes abstract expressions of emotions, symbolic representations of human behavior, and impressions of people and places, each revealing a different facet of connection, memory, and existence.

Najma Merchant, an internationally collected abstract artist, returns to Mumbai, a city that holds significance from her formative years. Born in Bandra and raised in a culturally rich environment, she studied and practiced filmmaking before exploring the world and ultimately settling in California with her family. After the loss of her son, Merchant found solace in art, using painting as a form of therapy and self-expression.

Her abstract canvases delve into the intricate interplay of emotions and experiences that may be challenging to verbalize. Through the manipulation of colors and expressive, multi-medium mark-making, Merchant's work invites viewers to contemplate how the multifaceted nature of life over time can be translated into visual form.

Lubina Agarwal, a painter with a background in healing, counseling, and facilitation, brings a distinct perspective to the exhibition. Having worked in various countries, including London, Auckland, and Bali, Agarwal's approach to painting mirrors her healing practice, which emphasizes listening to subtle currents within human experience.

Her paintings grow from small pen drawings and charcoal markings initially created for patient reflection, evolving into immersive acrylic canvases. These works transcend simple portrayals of thought and emotion, instead creating spaces for unspoken moments and transformations that defy linguistic expression. Agarwal also incorporates anthropomorphic imagery, using satire and symbolic observation to provoke thought about human behavior, justice, power, and technology, questioning whether we perceive these aspects externally or recognize them within ourselves.

Avantika Khanna Pocha's artistic journey is deeply influenced by three distinct environments: the mountainous landscapes of Shimla, the serene river in Goa, and the bustling urban energy of Mumbai. Instead of replicating these locales as literal scenes, Pocha captures their essence through impressions, sensations, and memories conveyed through color, line, and form.

Her paintings do not seek to recreate the places she has experienced but rather translate them into emotional and sensory impressions. Faces in her paintings emerge from fleeting interactions across Mumbai, embodying the city's human landscape. Through this, Pocha explores the intangible energy that permeates people, places, and moments, revealing the quiet connections and familiar impressions that shape our understanding of belonging.