A Thousand Miles in a Single Brushstroke - A Collective Journey Through Contemporary Indian Art

Lucknow’s evolving cultural landscape found a compelling new voice with the opening of “The Thousand Miles in One Brushstroke,” a group painting exhibition curated by Synapse International Art Gallery in collaboration with The Centrum Hotel. More than a conventional exhibition, the show unfolds as a shared artistic journey—one that traverses memory, environment, urbanization, tradition, migration, and the fragile contours of human existence.

The exhibition was inaugurated with a ceremonial lamp-lighting and the release of an e-catalogue by Shri Swatantra Dev Singh, Hon’ble Cabinet Minister for Jal Shakti, Government of Uttar Pradesh, with Prof. P. Rajivanayan, Dean, Faculty of Fine Art & Performing Arts, Dr. Shakuntala Misra National Rehabilitation University, as Guest of Honour. Their presence underscored the growing recognition of contemporary visual art as a vital cultural discourse rather than a purely aesthetic pursuit.

A Confluence of Artistic Voices

Featuring over 30 artworks by six eminent contemporary artists from across India, the exhibition brings together diverse practices and personal narratives. Participating artists include Arunanshu Choudhury and Amarnath Sharma from Vadodara (Gujarat), Sambit Panda from Odisha, Uma Shankar Pathak from Delhi, and Umendra Pratap Singh and Rahul Rai from Lucknow.

Despite their varied geographies and mediums, the artists are united by a shared inquiry into the changing realities of modern life. Their works collectively form a visual dialogue—sometimes confrontational, sometimes meditative—about where we come from and where we are headed.

From Memory to Material

Arunanshu Choudhury’s practice is rooted in memory and evolution. His artistic journey began in childhood, sculpting dough figures with his grandmother, and later matured through formal training in Baroda. Today, his works move fluidly between watercolours, expressive brushwork, and large-scale mixed-media compositions that reflect urban life, political undertones, and lived experience.

For Amarnath Sharma, material itself becomes metaphor. Raised in a carpenter family, Sharma’s intimate relationship with wood is deeply personal. In his works, natural wood textures transform into symbols of life, sustainability, and the inseparable bond between humans and nature. His art quietly resists industrial uniformity, foregrounding organic irregularities as philosophical statements.

Environment, Absence, and Urban Anxiety

Environmental concern forms the conceptual core of Sambit Panda’s work. His acclaimed series “Flies” is particularly striking for what it omits—human presence. By removing the human figure altogether, Panda compels viewers to confront questions of coexistence, ecological balance, and the silent consequences of relentless urbanization.

Uma Shankar Pathak, on the other hand, situates the human experience at the center of urban-rural tension. His works juxtapose pastoral memory with metropolitan aspiration, reflecting his own migrant journey. Paintings such as “Expecting the Expectation” and “The Blackest Air” interrogate ideas of progress, pollution, and the emotional cost of development.

Experience as Legacy

The exhibition gains further depth through the works of Umendra Pratap Singh and Rahul Rai, two highly respected artists with distinguished national careers. Recipients of multiple National and State Awards, fellowships, and research grants, both artists bring decades of pedagogical and artistic experience to the show. Their works resonate with quiet authority, demonstrating how sustained practice can transform personal vision into collective cultural memory.

A Curatorial Vision

According to Rakesh Kumar Maurya, Founder and Director of Synapse International Art Gallery, the exhibition is conceived as a metaphorical journey—where each artwork represents a milestone, and each artist contributes a distinct visual language to a shared narrative. His vision emphasizes accessibility, inviting not only seasoned collectors but also students, young artists, and first-time viewers into meaningful engagement with contemporary art.

An Invitation to Reflect

Open from 22 December 2025 to 5 January 2025, daily between 11:00 AM and 7:00 PM at Synapse International Art Gallery, The Centrum Hotel, Lucknow, “The Thousand Miles in One Brushstroke” offers more than an exhibition—it offers a pause. A moment to reflect on how art records our journeys, questions our assumptions, and reminds us that even a single brushstroke can carry the weight of a thousand miles.