Works by Indian artists Bharti Kher, Jitish Kallat, Thukral & Tagra, Kuldeep Singh and Ragini Bhow were presented alongside works by Rajni Perera and Chason Matthams at ‘The Armory Show 2026’ in New York, in a presentation by gallery Nature Morte.
The seven-artist presentation, curated by Daniel S Palmer, chief curator of the SCAD Museum of Art in Savannah, Georgia, was held at Booth 222 of the Javits Centre from September 24 to 27. It marked Nature Morte’s sixth participation in the international art fair.
The exhibition looked at diaspora beyond migration and displacement, examining how identity, belonging and ideas of place were shaped by memory, cultural inheritance and movement.
Bringing together artists from different backgrounds and generations, the presentation sought to expand the idea of diaspora beyond geographical movement. Speaking about the exhibition, curator Palmer said: “It is an immense honor to curate Nature Morte’s presentation at this year’s Armory Show in New York City."
He added that the works “encourage conversation and enriched understanding of an expanded conception of diaspora”, while showing “the power that art has to inspire dialogue and foster connection in the world today”.
Among the works on display was Bharti Kher’s ‘The Whale’, which used thousands of individually applied bindis to create a large-scale work exploring the relationship between the body, identity and perception. Jitish Kallat’s ‘Wind Study (For Kepler)’ used geometry, fire and air to make invisible atmospheric movement visible.
Thukral & Tagra’s ‘Verbal Kabaddi VIII’ drew from their ‘Weeping Farm’ project and the history of farmers’ protests in India.
Kuldeep Singh’s work drew on abhinaya — the use of gesture, expression and gaze in Indian classical dance. The artworks featured landscapes, interiors, flora and queerness within a single pictorial space. Meanwhile, Ragini Bhow’s ‘Vedi I’ used fire and the lost-wax process to explore ideas of presence and absence.
While Rajni Perera’s ‘Heritage Sports’ examined how immigrant identities could be simplified and performed within dominant cultural contexts, California-born artist Chason Matthams presented detailed paintings of mechanical and organic subjects that explored perception and how people understood their surroundings.
Together, these works presented different experiences of identity and place, allowing diaspora to emerge as a changing condition rather than a fixed identity.