
Priya Singh
Head of Department
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£2,000 - £3,000
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Head of Department

Cataloguer
Provenance
Property from a private collection, London.
Renowned as an 'almost self-taught' artist, Kumar has cultivated a distinctive voice rooted deeply in the everyday beauty of Indian life and its sacred spaces. Based in Calcutta, she is widely celebrated for her vibrant, joyful depictions of India and for her close friendship with Mother Teresa, whom she portrayed in numerous sensitive and intimate paintings. Her prolific career has spanned exhibitions across London, Paris, New York, Mumbai, New Delhi, and Calcutta—most recently including a show at the Promenade Lounge in the Taj Bengal in April 2025.
Untitled (Varanasi), Kumar captures the timeless rhythm of life on the ghats with her characteristic economy of line and muted palette. Nine faceless figures populate the scene, their identities absorbed into collective humanity while their gestures speak volumes. In the water stand three men, immersed in ritual or labor; two sadhu-like figures evoke the city's spiritual undercurrent; nearby, a mother and daughter share a quiet bond, while two men stand poised to step onto the riverbank. The figures are rendered in serene tones, their absence of features creating a sense of universality and introspection. Set against a soft, glowing background, the composition radiates peaceful reverence for the city, its people, and its sacral atmosphere.
For a similar work sold at Sotheby's see Indian & Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art, 16h September 2010, lot 63.