Lucknow– The Synapse International Art Gallery, in collaboration with The Centrum Hotel, unveiled a refreshing group exhibition titled “The Rural Rhythm”, offering a vibrant exploration of India’s villages and towns through the brushes of seven contemporary artists. The showcase, curated by Rakesh Kumar Maurya, Founder and Director of the Gallery, opened on Tuesday evening with much fanfare, bringing together artists, art lovers, and cultural connoisseurs under one roof.
The evening commenced with a traditional lamp-lighting ceremony and the unveiling of the exhibition catalog. The inauguration was led by Chief Guest Sarvesh Goel—film producer, educationist, hotelier, marathoner, and Chairman of Mansingh Goel Group of Uttar Pradesh—and Guest of Honour Ashok Kumar, Founder of ARCH-EN DESIGN and a distinguished alumnus of IIT Roorkee.
The event drew a glittering list of dignitaries including veteran actor Dr. Anil Rastogi, former principal and dean of the College of Arts & Crafts, Lucknow University, Prof. Jai Krishna Agrawal, columnist and radio host Jyotsna Arun, Padma Bhushan awardee Purnima Varman (editor, poet, and writer), Namit Agrawal, partner at Muralage, as well as renowned artists, critics, and hotel dignitaries.
A Tapestry of Rural Narratives
The exhibition brings together the works of Chinmayee Bahera (Delhi), Gourav Mourya (Bhopal), Jiban Biswas (West Bengal), Mahesh Padia (Vadodara), Monoj Mondal (Kolkata), Naveen Tungana (Andhra Pradesh), and Lucknow-based artist Ramashish Chouhan.
Each artist adds a distinct voice to the collective theme of rural India, weaving personal memory with contemporary expression.
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Chinmayee Bahera’s canvases capture the progression of time and human nature, rooted in her early childhood surroundings. Her works oscillate between realism and cultural commentary, reflecting both the permanence and fragility of traditions.
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Gourav Mourya, inspired by his rural upbringing, addresses the destruction of natural landscapes. His art transitions from concrete forms to abstraction, a subtle metaphor for modern society’s overlooked emotions.
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Jiban Biswas dives into the emotional fabric of memory and inner conflict. For him, painting is not merely visual—it is “a silent language” that provokes thought and stirs deep emotions within the viewer.
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Mahesh Padia revisits small-town Gujarat, creating captivating depictions of town squares, lanes, and houses. Beginning his artistic journey with mural paintings, Padia carries forward his fascination with everyday townscapes, painting them with an intimacy that elevates the commonplace.
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Monoj Mondal treats painting as both discovery and storytelling. Using his fingers along with oil paints, he creates tactile landscapes infused with the calm energy of nature—fields, skies, and mountains rendered with expressive strokes that echo human connection with the land.
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Naveen Tungana, from Tekkali village in Andhra Pradesh, offers an authentic portrayal of farming traditions. His works spring from lived experiences of accompanying his father to the fields, highlighting the endurance of rural communities despite challenges such as climate change and water scarcity.
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Ramashish Chouhan of Lucknow draws inspiration from his childhood memories of fields, orchards, and birdsong. Deeply influenced by impressionist techniques during his college years, his watercolor paintings carry a spontaneous magic—forms emerging naturally, then carefully nurtured into lyrical landscapes.
A Meeting of Minds and Cultures
Curator Rakesh Kumar Maurya described the exhibition as an invitation into the heart of India’s rural spirit:
“The Rural Rhythm is not just about visual storytelling, but about reconnecting with the essence of our roots. Each artist here represents a perspective on rural life—its hardships, its beauty, and its timeless rhythm.”
For visitors, the exhibition offers more than a visual journey. It is a meditative space where colors, textures, and memories converge, encouraging reflection on how India’s rural ethos continues to shape contemporary identity.
Dates and Public Viewing
The exhibition opened formally on August 26, 2025, at 5 PM and will remain open for public viewing from August 27 to September 9, 2025, every day from 11 AM to 7 PM at The Centrum Hotel, Lucknow.
With its unique thematic focus, “The Rural Rhythm” is more than an art display—it is a cultural dialogue between past and present, memory and imagination, artist and audience.
