Space is never neutral—it is shaped by histories, memories, and power structures that dictate who belongs and who is rendered invisible. Holding Space brings together a group of artists whose works negotiate the act of claiming, preserving, and reconfiguring space—whether physical, political, or emotional.

Through diverse mediums, the artists in this presentation explore sites of resistance, personal geographies, and the fragile balance between presence and erasure. Some reclaim narratives of land and displacement, challenging imposed borders and silenced histories. Others carve out intimate sanctuaries within fractured realities, asserting the body as a site of agency and protest.

In a world where spaces are contested—whether through state control, climate displacement, or shifting identities—this booth examines the quiet yet radical act of ‘holding space’, inviting viewers to consider what it means to stand one’s ground, to remember, and to remain.

Probir Gupta’s monumental assemblages confront systemic violence, displacement, and institutionalised marginalisation. His practice draws from his time in Paris among immigrant communities and his engagement with leftist politics in Bengal. Through overwhelming, grand-scale paintings, Gupta constructs ideological frames that interrogate power, oppression, and erasure. His works demand reflection on contested spaces and who is allowed to belong in contemporary society.

Vikrant Bhise’s practice is rooted in Ambedkarite consciousness, interrogating caste-based oppression through monumental scrolls, multi-panelled paintings, and intimate ink drawings. His compositions draw from histories of resistance, invoking the radicality of Mexican muralists while embedding the struggles of marginalised communities in contemporary India. Bhise’s figures are never passive; they rupture hegemonic narratives, asserting agency through memory, dissent, and the power of collective action. His works engage with personal and public archives, dismantling dominant aesthetics to reveal a political landscape shaped by exclusion, labour, and resilience—an urgent act of reclamation within contested visual histories.

Bushra Waqas Khan reimagines state-issued affidavit papers—symbols of legal authority and patriarchal control—as intricate, layered compositions that dismantle their power. Her sculptural works transform bureaucratic insignia into poetic acts of defiance, using repetition, printmaking, and textile techniques to subvert inherited structures of control. At The Armory Show 2025, Khan’s sculptural forms would offer an interplay between materiality and meaning, challenging hierarchies while celebrating the resilience of overlooked symbols.

To ‘hold space’ is an act of defiance, a refusal to be erased. The artists in this presentation reclaim space—physical, institutional, and ideological—where they have been historically excluded. Whether through Probir Gupta’s monumental interrogations of displacement, Vikrant Bhise’s Ambedkarite resistance, or Bushra Waqas Khan’s subversion of bureaucratic control, each artist disrupts inherited structures of power.

These works challenge the colonial frameworks that dictated who could occupy museums and archives, who was deemed worthy of representation, and whose histories were preserved. They unravel casteist and patriarchal exclusions, asserting agency over narratives that have long been controlled by others. At The Armory Show 2025, this booth attempts to be a moment of resistance, a space held open for voices that have persisted despite every attempt to silence them.

Address
The Armory Show 2025 _ Booth 204, Javits Center 429 11th Avenue New York, NY 10001

Artist
Bushra Waqas Khan, Probir Gupta, Vikrant Bhise

Exhibition Dates 
September 4, 2025 (VIP Preview)  
September 5 – 7, 2025

Website
https://www.anantart.com/

Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/anantartgallery/

Contact
neeraj@anantart.com

About Gallery

Established in 2004 by Mamta Singhania, Anant Art has played a vital role in shaping contemporary South Asian art. From the outset, the gallery championed innovative practices, supporting artists like Raqs Media Collective, Rashid Rana, and Bharti Kher. After a strategic hiatus, Anant Art returned in 2017 with a renewed vision, expanding its global footprint while fostering critical discourse. Its artists, including Vikrant Bhise, Dhara Mehrotra, and Ghulam Mohammad, have gained recognition at institutions like ICA Miami, Harvard University, and the Victoria & Albert Museum. As one of the few Indian galleries representing voices across the region, Anant Art remains dedicated to cultivating cross-border dialogues and expanding contemporary art’s evolving narratives.

(Text and images courtesy of Anant Art)