A comprehensive retrospective of Indian artist Ratan Parimoo, titled 'Grammar of Seeing', has opened at Gallerie Splash in Delhi, showcasing his work from the mid-1950s to the 1980s. Curated by Satyajit Dave, the exhibition features paintings, drawings, prints, collages, archival photographs, letters, and personal writings, tracing Parimoo's evolution from a student painting Kashmir landscapes to an abstract artist. It includes a section on his studies at the Courtauld Institute of Art in London and archival materials related to the Baroda Group of Artists, many displayed publicly for the first time.
The exhibition matters because it fills a significant gap in Indian art history by highlighting Parimoo's contributions as both a painter and art historian, which have been underrecognized. It offers fresh insights into the development of modern Indian art through previously unseen archival documents. Parimoo himself notes that the retrospective compensates for the lack of proper due he has received over his long career, underscoring the importance of persistence in artistic practice.