‘emotions of (BOM)bay’: Swati Goel’s solo exhibition

A solo exhibition titled emotions of (BOM)bay by abstract artist Swati Goel will be held at the Convention Foyer, India Habitat Centre, from June 4 to 8. The exhibition brings together a series of abstract works that explore Bombay as an emotional landscape shaped by movement, contradiction, resilience and longing.

Working primarily with acrylic on canvas and linen, Goel approaches the city through layered textures, expressive gestures and emotionally charged colour palettes. The works draw from everyday experiences associated with Bombay — crowded local trains, monsoon-soaked streets and the quiet expanse of Marine Drive — translating them into abstractions that reflect vulnerability, chaos and hope.

Rather than depicting literal scenes, the paintings rely on movement, texture and instinctive mark-making to evoke memory and atmosphere. The works move through emotional states that coexist within urban life, where exhaustion and excitement, loneliness and belonging, often overlap.

Goel’s practice centres around abstraction, emotion, home and relatability. Embracing spontaneity and imperfection, she allows each work to evolve organically.

Her journey into art began during the COVID-19 lockdown, when painting became a way to navigate uncertainty and isolation. She later pursued the Post-Baccalaureate Certificate Program in Painting at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and recently completed her MFA in Arts & Humanities from the Royal College of Art.

Her previous solo exhibitions include Discovering Myself, Nature’s Calling, Hues of Blues, Layers of Maa and Reflection of the Mind. Her work has also been exhibited at the Lalit Kala Akademi, India Art Festival, All India Fine Arts & Crafts Society and the India International Centre.

When: June 4 to 8; 10 AM to 8 PM

Where: Convention Foyer, India Habitat Centre, Lodhi Road, New Delhi