Shobha Broota

Shobha Broota is a New Delhi–based artist known for her meditative abstract works that explore rhythm, texture, and the expressive potential of line and colour. Born in 1943 in New Delhi, Broota initially trained as a classical Indian vocalist before turning to the visual arts, an influence that continues to shape the lyrical and rhythmic qualities of her practice.

Over the course of a long career, Broota has worked across several mediums and formats. Her early work included portraits and printmaking, particularly woodcuts and etchings produced during the 1970s and 1980s. In later years she developed a distinctive body of abstract paintings in oil and acrylic, alongside relief works that incorporate materials such as fabric, thread, silk, and wool stretched across the canvas to form intricate grids and textured surfaces. These works often evoke a quiet, contemplative atmosphere, allowing form and material to guide the viewer’s experience.

Broota has exhibited extensively in India and internationally, and her works are held in institutional and private collections, including national galleries in India and Malaysia. She has participated in artist residencies in Kuala Lumpur and Perth and was invited by the government of Guyana to paint a portrait of former president Cheddi Jagan. She currently lives and works in New Delhi.