Shobha Broota, born in 1943 in New Delhi, began her artistic journey as a classical Indian vocalist before turning her focus to fine art. It is fitting to say that her work “aspires to the condition of music,” echoing the sentiment of Victorian essayist Walter Pater. Like classical raags, Broota’s canvases exude tranquility and a deceptive simplicity. Her abstract forms foster a meditative experience that transcends narrative confines. The rhythm and subtle movement of her lines, the rich resonance of her colours, and the complex, compelling texture of her surfaces create a captivating visual language.

Throughout her long and celebrated career, Broota has explored various genres, starting with early portraits and progressing to woodcuts and etchings in the 1970s and 1980s. More recently, she has worked with oil and acrylic paints, as well as creating ‘relief’ works where fabric, thread, silk, or even hand-knitted materials are stretched across the canvas to form intricate grids and patterns.

Broota has exhibited widely, both in India and internationally. Her works are part of national galleries in India and Malaysia, as well as several private collections. She has participated in artist residencies in Kuala Lumpur and Perth, among other locations, and was commissioned by the Guyanese government to paint a portrait of the country’s former president, Cheddi Jagan. She has also received fellowships from the Government of India and Sahitya Kala Parishad in New Delhi. Additionally, Broota co-authored Vesture of Being, a book on her paintings, with the renowned art critic, the late Keshav Malik.