The Royal Academy's latest exhibition, "A Story of South Asian Art", has been a crushing disappointment. The show aims to trace a century of south Asian art, but it falls flat due to its sloppy curation and mediocre artworks surrounding the star of the show: Mrinalini Mukherjee.
Upon entering the galleries, one can't avoid being hit with the awkward giant – Pakshi, a sculpture created by Mukherjee in 1985. The piece is an eyesore, a red and brown creature with a demonic face and sagging stomach that seems more like a pile of hemp on the floor if its cord snaps. Despite this misgiving, one can't deny that it's also funny, fascinating, and surreal – all qualities that make Mukherjee's art so remarkable.
Mukherjee's parents were both artists, with her father struggling with visual impairment, yet his Matisse-like collages are vibrant and full of life. Her mother Leela had a talent for carving wooden figures with a chunky totemic energy. It would have been wonderful to explore these influences further, but instead the exhibition meanders on without any clear direction.
Mukherjee's sculptures, however, offer a glimpse into her unique artistic vision. She drew deeply from Indian art and culture, yet transcended the local to create something truly remarkable. Her works are full of contradictions – spiritually calm and sensually violent, possessing tension that makes them impressive and enduring. Night Bloom II is a case in point; its shape seems female, but it evokes statues of seated Buddhas and sages that defy gender.
What's most puzzling about the exhibition is how it fails to do justice to Mukherjee's art. The show surrounds her works with mediocre artworks by lesser artists, creating an atmosphere that feels suffocating rather than celebratory. It's as if the Royal Academy wants to muffle Mukherjee's brilliance in second-rate surroundings.
The inclusion of watercolours by Mukherjee's "circle" – presumably friends and family – only serves to clog up the gallery like slow traffic. One can't help but feel that Mukherjee knew exactly how much better she was than her contemporaries, yet here we are, forced to trudge through a sea of mediocrity.
In short, "A Story of South Asian Art" is a wasted opportunity to showcase one of modern India's greatest artists. Instead, it's a damp squib that fails to ignite the flames of creativity and passion.
Upon entering the galleries, one can't avoid being hit with the awkward giant – Pakshi, a sculpture created by Mukherjee in 1985. The piece is an eyesore, a red and brown creature with a demonic face and sagging stomach that seems more like a pile of hemp on the floor if its cord snaps. Despite this misgiving, one can't deny that it's also funny, fascinating, and surreal – all qualities that make Mukherjee's art so remarkable.
Mukherjee's parents were both artists, with her father struggling with visual impairment, yet his Matisse-like collages are vibrant and full of life. Her mother Leela had a talent for carving wooden figures with a chunky totemic energy. It would have been wonderful to explore these influences further, but instead the exhibition meanders on without any clear direction.
Mukherjee's sculptures, however, offer a glimpse into her unique artistic vision. She drew deeply from Indian art and culture, yet transcended the local to create something truly remarkable. Her works are full of contradictions – spiritually calm and sensually violent, possessing tension that makes them impressive and enduring. Night Bloom II is a case in point; its shape seems female, but it evokes statues of seated Buddhas and sages that defy gender.
What's most puzzling about the exhibition is how it fails to do justice to Mukherjee's art. The show surrounds her works with mediocre artworks by lesser artists, creating an atmosphere that feels suffocating rather than celebratory. It's as if the Royal Academy wants to muffle Mukherjee's brilliance in second-rate surroundings.
The inclusion of watercolours by Mukherjee's "circle" – presumably friends and family – only serves to clog up the gallery like slow traffic. One can't help but feel that Mukherjee knew exactly how much better she was than her contemporaries, yet here we are, forced to trudge through a sea of mediocrity.
In short, "A Story of South Asian Art" is a wasted opportunity to showcase one of modern India's greatest artists. Instead, it's a damp squib that fails to ignite the flames of creativity and passion.
, I'm so disappointed in this exhibition! It seems like they just phoned it in 
. Mrinalini Mukherjee's art is already so bold & quirky, but putting it next to mediocre pieces by lesser artists feels like a total letdown 
. I mean, can't they see how much more depth and energy the artworks could bring? The gallery should be celebrating her unique style, not trying to tone it down 
. And what's up with including those watercolours from her "circle"?! It's like they're just trying to fill space 
. I'm so sad that this exhibition didn't live up to its potential 
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. I think the biggest issue here is that the show's curation prioritizes accessibility over artistic rigor. The inclusion of lesser artworks by friends and family feels like a cop-out, stifling the impact of Mukherjee's own remarkable oeuvre 
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. Despite its flaws, it's undeniable that Mukherjee has a unique artistic vision that transcends traditional boundaries.
. Instead, the exhibition meanders through the galleries like a gentle stream without a clear destination 
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. It feels like an attempt to tone down her brilliance rather than let it shine on its own terms 
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"A Story of South Asian Art" is supposed to be all about Mrinalini Mukherjee but it's like they took all the excitement outta it 
all these other artworks that don't even compare to mukherjee's talent... ugh, it feels like they're trying to bring her down 
it's like a giant eyesore but at the same time kinda funny? idk what to think lol. and what's with all these other artworks by "her circle" 
. I mean, Mrinalini Mukherjee's art is like a ray of sunshine in an otherwise dull room, but the Royal Academy's execution is all wrong. It's like they took this incredible artist and put her in a bad situation 
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I was so looking forward to checking out this exhibition but honestly, I left feeling like I'd seen it all before 
. I mean, who wouldn't want to see more of her collages? They're vibrant and full of life! 
But nope, the rest of the artworks are just meh... 
It feels like they're trying to bring her down to their level or something. And don't even get me started on Pakshi - what was she thinking?! 
. And don't even get me started on that giant sculpture of hers - what were they thinking? It's like they took a handful of random materials, threw them together, and hoped for the best 
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. But what happened to exploring those influences further? The exhibition just meanders on without a clear direction 
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. All in all, I'd say "A Story of South Asian Art" is more of a damp squib than a celebration of Indian art 
...
her sculptures are so surreal and funny at the same time lol like who wouldn't want to see a giant demonic creature in the middle of a gallery 
its not fair to mrinalini she knew she was on a different level and it feels like they were trying to bring her down 
her dad's collages are so fire 
and her sculptures are like a work of art in themselves. i don't get why they surrounded her with all those mediocre artists tho it feels like the royal academy was trying to bring down her vibe 
anyway i feel so disappointed that they didn't do her justice. overall it was a letdown but still glad to see her art up close