• LOCATION

    30 Berkeley Square
    London
    W1J 6EX (map)

  • VIEWING

    10–31 July
    Monday–Saturday, 10am–6pm
    Sunday 13 July, 12pm–6pm

  • CONTACT

    Yassaman Ali
    Director, Middle East & South Asia Regions, Director, Client Advisory
    yali@phillips.com

    Grosvenor Gallery
    art@grosvenorgallery.com

Exhibition Highlights

Phillips, in association with Grosvenor Gallery, is pleased to present Crossing Borders: Modern Art from South Asia, a landmark selling exhibition which will bring together important works by modern artists from across South Asia and explore the profound shifts in artistic expression following independence, partition, and the post-colonial realignment of the region.

Crossing Borders explores how artists responded to the seismic shifts of independence, partition, and post-colonial realignment by developing new visual languages – rejecting colonial paradigms and embracing contemporary materials, ideologies, and forms. Highlighted artists include F.N. Souza, S.H. Raza, M.F. Husain, Bhupen Khakhar, Ram Kumar, Rasheed Araeen, A.R. Chughtai, Syed Sadequain, George Keyt, Lain Singh Bangdel, and others.

SAYED HAIDER RAZA (1922-2016), Germination, 1986.

A major highlight of Crossing Borders is Sans titre, painted in 2001 by Paris-based Indian artist Viswanadhan, whose practice bridges Indian spiritual traditions and Western abstraction. His recent solo presentation at Sharjah Biennial 16: to carry, featured over 40 works spanning five decades. Viswanadhan’s visual language is rooted in the sacred geometry of yantras and mandalas, offering a contemplative counterpoint to the political and material explorations of his peers.

VISWANADHAN (b. 1940) Sans titre, 2001

From Pakistan, Abdur Rahman Chughtai is one of the foundational figures of modern South Asian art, celebrated for his distinctive fusion of Mughal miniature styles with Art Deco and modernist influences. Featured prominently in the MANZAR exhibition at the National Museum of Qatar, Chughtai’s work has received renewed acclaim. In 2025, the 50th anniversary of his death was honoured with a commemorative postage stamp. His art is held in global institutions including the British Museum, the V&A, and the United Nations.

ABDUR RAHMAN CHUGHTAI (1897-1975) Untitled (Mughal Princess), circa 1960

Another key member, Maqbool Fida Husain, often called the “Picasso of India,” has seen a surge in market interest. In 2025, the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art presented The Rooted Nomad: M.F. Husain at the Venice Biennale. His work is held in major collections including LACMA, the V&A, and KNMA, cementing his enduring influence.

MAQBOOL FIDA HUSAIN (1915-2011) Horses and Blue Sun, 1969

Syed Sadequain, another leading modernist from Pakistan, is known for his striking fusion of calligraphy and figuration. His inclusion in the 2024 Venice Biennale’s Central Pavilion underscored his growing international recognition.

SYED SADEQUAIN (1930-1987) Three Figures, 1967

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