A showcase of fresh talent

The 34th Annual Ravi Jain Memorial Foundation (RJMF) exhibition by Dhoomimal Gallery spotlights the creative voices of 60 emerging artists from across the country. The exhibition opened with an exclusive preview attended by collectors, curators, artists, and art lovers, and will remain on view until October 15.

Selected from over 500 entries nationwide, the showcased works span a wide range of mediums including painting, printmaking, sculpture, video installations, and digital art. More than 120 works are on display, reflecting the evolving practices of contemporary Indian artists.

The annual highlight of the exhibition is the RJMF Awards, which will be held on October 14. Four artists will be selected by a distinguished jury to receive awards of Rs 1,00,000 each, along with ongoing mentorship and opportunities for career development.

Uday Jain, director of Dhoomimal Gallery and son of the late Ravi Jain, shared his thoughts on the event: “The exhibition and awards carry forward my father’s vision of nurturing new talent and building a thriving ecosystem for Indian art. It’s inspiring to see the diversity and freshness of voices this year — from bold experiments to deeply personal narratives.”

The jury panel this year included Vibha Galhotra, contemporary artist exploring themes of ecology and urban transformation, Rekha Rodwittiya, painter and mentor known for her feminist and socially engaged practice, Anish Gawande, writer, curator, and cultural commentator, Arunkumar HG, visual artist working with ecological themes and experimental materials and Ina Puri, writer, biographer, and curator with decades of experience documenting Indian art.

The Foundation was established in 1991 by Uma Jain in memory of her husband Ravi Jain, a pioneering gallerist and passionate art patron. Past winners include GR Iranna, Sonia Khurana and Nidhi Agarwal, today prominent names in the Indian art scene.