In Parul Gupta’s square

The Noida-based artist explores a new visual vocabulary with the geometric form at Nature Morte and the Frieze Art Fair

As you walk into the new Nature Morte gallery at The Dhan Mill compound in Chattarpur, New Delhi, two overlapping black squares fix you to the spot with a hypnotic presence. You are pulled into its vortex and, as you walk closer, little details swim into focus. The subtle lines that run across the surface of the oil pastel on paper, the heavy gold pigments that become warm and bold, the void and the frame that draw you into a place of contemplation. It is a visual engagement that teases the eye and stimulates the mind. It is the first time that the gallery is working with artist Parul Gupta, who is known for work ‘born from minimalism’ — they appear deceptively simple at first, and then reveal their complex programs. It is also her largest solo show to date. Still, on the verge… presents a wide range: drawings on paper made with ink, charcoal, oil pastel, gold pigments, as well as sculptures of painted aluminium covered in industrial paint.