‘Stories the Soil Remembers’: Jyoti Tyagi’s solo exhibition

An exhibition titled Stories the Soil Remembers, featuring recent works by Delhi-based artist Jyoti Tyagi, will be held at Shridharani Gallery, Triveni Kala Sangam, from May 8 to 14. Curated by poet and art critic Prayag Shukla, the show presents a body of work centred on themes of memory, ecology and the shifting relationship between urban spaces and nature.

Working with charcoal, acrylic and mixed media on paper and canvas, Tyagi creates compositions that are both tactile and layered. Her use of charcoal and soft pastels allows for spontaneous, raw mark-making, while acrylic builds depth through successive layers. She often scratches into the painted surface, introducing etched textures that evoke both construction and erosion, suggesting the passage of time.

Recurring motifs such as trees, birds and seemingly barren landscapes form the core of her visual language. These elements do not function as traditional representations of nature but as fragments within spaces where natural and built environments intersect. Birds appear as subtle presences, hinting at displacement and resilience within rapidly changing surroundings.

The exhibition emerges from a central inquiry into what lies beneath the visible surface of expanding cities. Tyagi’s works engage with the idea of the ground as a repository of memory—holding traces of what has been built over, erased or forgotten. Rather than offering definitive narratives, the paintings invite contemplation on ecological fragility and shared responsibility.

Tyagi’s practice is shaped by both personal and academic journeys. Born in western Uttar Pradesh and now based in Ghaziabad, she began painting regularly around 2008, later formalising her training with a diploma in fine arts. Her work has been shown in group exhibitions at Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi, and in national shows across Varanasi, Amritsar and Lucknow. Her first solo exhibition, Transformation, was held in 2019.

The works in Stories the Soil Remembers reflect an ongoing engagement with the complexities of contemporary life, using visual form to explore how memory, environment and lived experience intersect within the present moment.

When: May 8 to 14; 11 AM to 7 PM

Where: Shridharani Gallery, Triveni Kala Sangam, Tansen Marg, New Delhi