Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 26: A new generation of Indian artists is reshaping how we view identity, performance, and inner emotional life. Among them is 18-year-old Prithveer Jain, whose upcoming solo exhibition, “Circus: The Late Arrival,” opens at IF.BE, Mumbai, on July 31.
This is Jain's second solo exhibition, and it presents a collection of paintings that blur the line between portraiture and emotional cartography. Though the title references a circus, there is little spectacle here. Instead, the exhibition offers meditative, symbolic explorations of what it means to arrive — to selfhood, to presence, to truth — often later than expected.
“The idea of the late arrival came from feeling like I was always catching up — to people's expectations, to my own growth, to emotion itself,” Jain shared ahead of the show. “These works are about those invisible delays we carry inside us.”
The figures in his work are stylized and surreal, often existing in ambiguous space — not grounded in reality, but not entirely abstract either. Their eyes are expressive yet distant; their gestures theatrical, yet restrained. There's a sense of performance throughout, but one that's internal — closer to psychological theatre than visual drama.
For Jain, whose creative process involves soundscapes, writing, and introspective rituals, painting is a way to access layers of thought and feeling that language alone cannot express. His compositions frequently depict a single figure in a moment of pause, surrounded by symbols — ropes, curtains, hats, and fragmented shadows — that suggest longing, uncertainty, and transformation.
While still early in his career, Jain's work resonates with emotional depth. His ability to capture psychological nuance without overt narrative marks a distinct voice. The choice to explore the Circus as a metaphor — not for chaos, but for the quiet performance of identity — adds a poetic yet relatable dimension.
Having secured admission to the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) for further studies, Jain represents a growing cohort of Indian artists expanding their practice globally, while grounding it in deeply personal experiences.
Circus: The Late Arrival runs from July 31 to August 3, 2025, at IF.BE, Calicut Road, Ballard Estate, Mumbai. The exhibition is open to the public from 11 AM to 7 PM.
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