Landscape in Cotton

In Landscape in Cotton, artist Kanika Mukherjee transforms discarded fragments of clothing into evocative landscapes that shimmer with beauty, memory, and wonder.

Her compositions unfold in cyclical rhythms — daylight fading into the amber glow of autumn, or dissolving into the solitude of night. Fabric becomes her terrain: its weave and dye, folds and frayed seams suggest the ripple of water, the sweep of sky, or the hush of wind moving through grass. The textures, edges, and colors of cloth gradually transcend their material origins, dissolving into vistas that feel both imagined and deeply familiar.

Mukherjee works primarily with handwoven khadi and a range of textiles, each carrying its own story. These scraps — once worn, used, or forgotten — are reborn in her hands as metaphors for nature’s continuity and quiet majesty. Her work offers not just images of nature, but a meditation on its enduring presence, its infinite promise.

For over three decades, Mukherjee has explored the expressive possibilities of fabric alongside mediums such as charcoal, dry pastels, and oil. Her unique collage technique draws on this experience to create layered works that resonate with both visual richness and emotional depth.

Solo exhibitions of her work include shows at ICCR, New Delhi (2011); India Habitat Centre, New Delhi (2018); Nehru Centre, Mumbai (2012); Time & Space Gallery, Bengaluru; and Goethe-Zentrum, Hyderabad (2024), among others. She has also participated in numerous group exhibitions across India.

Kanika Mukherjee is a graduate of Delhi College of Art, where she majored in Fine Arts.