Presence of Absence in Man – The Elephant in the Room, an art exhibition raising awareness about animal welfare, is currently on display at The Stainless Gallery, New Delhi, from March 23 to 30. Organised by Matters of Art (MoA) and Arteflick, the exhibition serves as a fundraiser for the Walking Eye Foundation for Animal Advocacy (WEFAA).
The exhibition was inaugurated on March 22 by Maneka Sanjay Gandhi, author, environmentalist, and animal rights activist, with Justice V. Chitambaresh, Retired High Court Justice and Chief Patron of WEFAA, presiding over the event.
Curated by Anoop Kamath and Anuradha Nalapat, the exhibition brings together 50 artworks by eminent artists from across India. The collection—featuring oil and acrylic paintings on canvas, as well as watercolour and ink on paper—explores the impact of human nature on animals and the environment. It offers a deep reflection on how mankind’s actions shape the world around them, often leading to ecological imbalances and suffering for other species.
Participating artists include Akhilesh, Anoop Panicker, Anup Kumar Chand, Anuradha Nalapat, Babu Xavier, Biji Bhaskar, Deepak KJ, Harmandeep Keerti, Ishrath Humraih, Jattinn Kochhar, Nabibakhsh Mansoori, Neeraj Bakshi, Pratul Dash, Prriti Mann, Pooja Singh, Ranjit Raman, Rathidevi, Ritu Bhutani, Ritu Kamath, Roy Thomas, Shanmukh Tamade, Shuvendu Sarkar, Siraj Saxena, Sonaali Durga Chaudhri, Tapan Dash, T. Narayan, Vinod Ambalathara, Varghese Kalathil, and Venkat Shyam.
Anuradha Nalapat shared her perspective on the exhibition’s theme, stating, “The elephant in the room nobody wants to talk about is Man himself. The absence of contentment, joy, and reprieve in human life is replaced by a constant struggle of angst, fear, and greed—making mankind the most destructive force of all.”
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Anoop Kamath added, “Through this exhibition, we aim to confront uncomfortable truths about the human condition and its impact on the natural world. It is a call to rethink our choices and embrace a future rooted in compassion and coexistence.”
The exhibition continues to draw art enthusiasts, environmentalists, and animal welfare supporters, sparking meaningful conversations about humanity’s responsibility toward the planet and its creatures.
When: Until March 30
Where: The Stainless Gallery, New Delhi
