Spiritual principles and the soul are themes strongly anchored within Akshita Gandhi’s artistry and Anukrti Upadhyay’s writing. During quarantine, confined separately in Mumbai, the two friends continued to develop their respective practices. When the rains arrived, usually a time of celebration and gathering, they decided to create bodies of work in tandem to commemorate the start of the new summer season. 

In Traveling Souls, the writer and artist transport you to the once-bustling city of Bombay, Gandhi has digitally reworked photographs she has taken of colonial architecture, like the Horniman Circle, and other iconic views of the city – void of people yet reverberating with flickering light and bold energy. In her poetry, Upadhyay oscillates between the evocation of the rains and the anxieties of our current situation. Even within confinement, there are souls traversing the city; art offers you to take a path of your choice, anywhere, without having to be physically present. “When I am creating and Anukrti is writing our souls are traveling,” says artist Gandhi. The penetrating and raw work on view tackles issues of loss and longing serving as an escape or energetic outlet for artists and viewers alike.

The virtual exhibition is presented by ATO Gallery  and Cultbytes. 

*Part of sales proceeds will benefit Dua Foundation. Founded by Akshita and Priyanka Gandhi the foundation provides local solutions to reduce poverty in Mumbai.