Posted on 20 September 2026:
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#YathraCanvas
Art in a Frame
IN VARANASI’S TIMELESS EMBRACE, ABISHI SARKAR UNVEILS WORLDS’ WITHIN—A LUMINOUS JOURNEY OF COLORS.
Worlds’ Within – Abishi Sarkar’s Solo Exhibition at BHU
The city of Varanasi is about to witness a quiet revolution in color and consciousness.
Abishi Sarkar, the young MFA scholar from Banaras Hindu University whose brush has already earned her the prestigious Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation Grant 2024—awarded by the Canada‑based foundation to artists devoted to lifelong craft—now unveils her much‑awaited solo exhibition, Worlds’ Within, at the Ahivasi Gallery, BHU, from 22 to 26 September 2026. Her vision promises an intimate journey into silence, pigment and imagination.
Mentored by acclaimed artist and professor Suresh K. Nair, BHU, Varanasi, and a gold medalist topper from Sri Sri University, Cuttack, Abishi’s rise has been anything but ordinary.
Artist Abishi Sarkar unveils “Worlds Within” that traces two transformative years of artistic exploration —from watercolors and drawing to textile work with kantha embroidery, stitching and sarees, before returning to painting with fresh clarity.
Abishi Sarkar says: “This exhibition is about the worlds of our inner selves. Each of us carries a universe within, silent yet profound. Worlds’ Within is my attempt to unveil those hidden realms—a journey worth witnessing.”
The journey began with “Visual Voices for Peace,” curated by Chawky Frenn, an Associate Professor at George Mason University and Fulbright Scholar at Banaras Hindu University, and took an unexpected turn when Professor Suresh K. Nair, BHU, urged Abishi to attend a literature and poetry workshop at the Alice Boner Institute, Assi Ghat — led by Suzanne Zahnd and Gerhard Meister.
“I had never imagined myself creating written work,” Abishi shares, “but that single decision reshaped how I think — showing me how words can be experimented with, just like paint on canvas.”
The prestigious Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation Grant 2024 played a quiet but powerful role behind the scenes, giving her the freedom to invest in materials and experiment fearlessly across mediums.
“Worlds Within” captures this evolution — a visual diary of risk, discovery and homecoming to the canvas.
Her canvases, layered with ecological consciousness and cultural memory, have graced exhibitions from Alliance Française de Delhi to Bharat Kala Bhavan Museum, and her installations echo sustainability and handmade traditions. Workshops and panel talks further reveal her as both creator and thinker, bridging studio practice with social engagement.
Worlds’ Within promises to be more than an exhibition—it is an inward voyage, a dialogue between silence and pigment, tradition and experiment.
🖼️ Worlds’ Within — Solo Exhibition by Abishi Sarkar
📍 Ahivasi Gallery, BHU, Varanasi
🗓️ 22–26 September 2026
Worlds within –colors of the soul.
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#YathraCanvas
