Posted on 23 October 2026:

🎨 #Yatra Canvas — Art in a Frame | K. Sugunan

BANARAS: THE ETERNAL SHORE

Azad Kapoor’s Watercolor Symphony Comes to Lucknow

Where the first light of dawn meets the stone steps of the Ganges, a young artist’s brush turns Kashi into poetry.

There are cities you visit, and then there is Banaras, a city you feel. From 27 to 29 October 2026, the State Lalit Kala Akademi, Uttar Pradesh, brings that feeling to Lucknow with “Banaras: The Eternal Shore – A Watercolor Symphony,” a solo exhibition by the talented young artist Azad Kapoor.

Presented under the Financial Assistance Scheme for Art Exhibition by the Department of Culture, Government of Uttar Pradesh, the show is a luminous tribute to Kashi, the city of liberation.

A PAINTER RAISED BY THE GHATS

Born in 1994 in Mau, Uttar Pradesh, Azad grew up in an artistically inclined family. His early mentor, the late Maniram Bharti Ji, guided his first steps into art. He went on to earn his B.F.A. (2014), M.F.A. (2016) and M.Phil. (2017) from Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith, Varanasi, where he is now a research scholar in the Department of Fine Arts.

His student days shaped his artistic voice. Dawn after dawn, he sat on the riverfront steps of the Ganges, painting for hours as the city woke around him.

“Sitting in the first light of dawn and working for hours became a part of my daily life. Gradually, this unique atmosphere of Banaras became deeply ingrained within me.”
— Azad Kapoor

THE MAGIC OF WATERCOLOR

What drew him to watercolor was its delicacy and its ability to capture a scene swiftly, much like the fleeting moods of the river itself. In this series, carved stone edifices, ancient temples, the steps of the ghats, and daily life unfolding beside the tranquil waves become the heart of every canvas.

“The varied colors scattered across the walls of old buildings, the interplay of shifting shadows cast by the sun’s rays, and the expansive, rhythmic patterns of the stone steps lend an extraordinary beauty to these scenes.”
— Azad Kapoor

The exhibition poster itself offers a glimpse: golden-green hues of weathered ghat walls, a temple spire rising through the morning haze, and wooden boats resting on soft, shimmering waters.

“Through the medium of watercolors, I have made a humble attempt to capture these unique visual experiences upon my canvas.”
— Azad Kapoor

A GROWING JOURNEY

Azad’s work has already been shown at several notable platforms:

• 2025: Solo exhibition “Chitra-Kavya of Banaras,” Azad Art Gallery, Department of Fine Arts, Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith, Varanasi
• 2025: Banaras Lit Fest Art Exhibition and Camp, Taj Ganges, Varanasi
• 2025: Regional Art Exhibition, State Lalit Kala Akademi (U.P.), BHU Campus, Varanasi
• 2016: Group Art Exhibition, Nehru Art Gallery, Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith
• 2012–2013: Annual group exhibitions, Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith

EXIBITION AT A GLANCE

For art lovers, Banaras devotees, and anyone who longs for a quiet morning by the river, this exhibition is a small pilgrimage in colour. Do step in, and let the Ganges flow through the gallery. 

Venue:State Lalit Kala Akademi, Lal Baradri, Near High Court, Qaisar Bagh, Luck now, U.P

🎨 #YathraCanvas