Imagined Realms by Ranbir Kaleka

Ranbir Kaleka (b. 1953, Patiala, Punjab) stands as one of the most innovative contemporary Indian artists, renowned for his seamless blend of painting, video, and installation art. Over his illustrious four-and-a-half-decade career, Kaleka has constructed a rich repertoire of works that oscillate between the fantastical and the existential. His oeuvre is marked by a confluence of phantasmagoria, conceptual elegance, and sensory opulence, offering a unique lens through which to explore the human condition, the interplay of nature and civilization, and the subtle disquiet of modernity.

 

Kaleka’s visual narratives are characterized by layers of symbolic imagery, ethereal landscapes, and meticulously rendered details. By fusing traditional techniques with multimedia elements, he creates immersive dreamscapes that invite viewers into contemplative dialogues about time, memory, and human impact on the natural world.

  • Guardians in a Dystopic Garden, 2019 by Ranbir Kaleka

    Guardians in a Dystopic Garden, 35 x 55 in, 2019 (Embroidered)

    Guardians in a Dystopic Garden, 2019 by Ranbir Kaleka

    Dimensions: 35 x 55 in
    Medium: Hand embroidery on fabric

    Guardians in a Dystopic Garden is set among remnant bookshelves of a library, a storehouse of knowledge, in which Ranbir Kaleka's multi-layered dreamscape unfolds. The work confronts the glamour and divine order of an Arcadian garden with human conquest and control.

     

    Embroidery Details:

    A cast of animal characters in resonance with the hidden rhythms of the world amongst shadows of man’s invasion upon this natural harmony — an assault rifle, an army helmet floating in the fountain pool, bullets strewn on the ground. This masterpiece using various cotton and silk thread techniques, metallic bullion and 3D elements took 150 days to complete.

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  • Vanitas in Repose, 2019 by Ranbir Kaleka
    Vanitas in Repose, 40 x 81 in, 2023 (Embroidered)

    Vanitas in Repose, 2019 by Ranbir Kaleka

    Dimensions: 40 x 81 in
    Medium: Hand embroidery on Cotton poplin fabric

    Opulence and decay collide in this striking piece, where the anthropocene’s abundance crowds an Edenic paradise. Kaleka presents a tableau where lush vegetation, extravagant objects, and otherworldly beings coexist. The work reflects on the fragility of plenty and the fleeting nature of luxury.

     

    Embroidery Details:

    A symphony of techniques—including tufting, French knots, satin stitches, and beadwork—creates a textured, multi-dimensional masterpiece. Raised elements bring depth to the composition, meticulously crafted over 150 days.

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  • Tree is the Dream of a Seed, 2022 by Ranbir Kaleka
    Tree in the Dream of a Seed, 84 x 24 in, 2022  (Embroidered)

    Tree is the Dream of a Seed, 2022 by Ranbir Kaleka

    Dimensions: 84 x 24 in
    Medium: Hand embroidery on fabric

    A fantastical banquet unfolds under the watchful gaze of gods of the wild. This work explores the symbiotic relationships between earthly and ethereal beings as they partake in a feast of abundance. The tree at the center is both a protector and a participant, its bark textured and its leaves fabricated with extraordinary detail.

     

    Embroidery Details:

    Rich threadwork brings the fruits and feast to life, while the tree’s raised bark and softly stitched background retain the painterly essence of the original artwork.

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