Art Alive Gallery will present the first solo exhibition of textile artist Radhika Surana, titled Somewhere I have never travelled. The show opens on Friday, July 25, and will be on view until August 20, 2025.
Borrowing its title from a poem by E.E. Cummings, the exhibition explores themes of intimacy, memory, and emotional connection through embroidery and traditional dyeing techniques. Surana’s practice is rooted in slow, meditative labour, with each stitch and knot tracing the invisible work of sustaining relationships.
Indigo dyeing — a method with deep roots in Indian history — plays a central role in her work. Often called “blue gold”, indigo was once a highly prized dye across civilisations. Surana uses it not just for its visual richness, but for its symbolic depth, bridging cultural heritage with contemporary expression.
The exhibition features recurring natural motifs. French knots bloom like lichens, while seed stitches act as metaphors for growth, renewal, and interdependence. Some works show slashed or scorched surfaces, referencing rupture, destruction, and the possibility of repair.
Through needle and thread, Surana draws subtle parallels between fabric and feeling.
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Her works quietly reflect the emotional effort and resilience that underlie human connection.
When : July 25 to August 20
Where: Art Alive Gallery, New Delhi
