Visual artist, Ms Natasha Datta Roy’s third solo exhibition, Sylvan Reverie, at the Academy of Fine Arts (South Gallery) was inaugurated today. The exhibition presents a deeply contemplative exploration of nature, memory and belonging, capturing the delicate balance between nostalgia and renewal.
Sylvan Reverie was inaugurated today in the presence of eminent artists, Ms Gita Bhattacharya, Ms Arunima Choudhury, Ms Sarbani Ganguly and Mr Ashoke Dutta, adding grace and warmth to the evening. The exhibition continues till 31st October, 2025, and will be open to visitors from 1 pm to 8 pm.
Sylvan Reverie offers viewers an intimate journey through Natasha’s emotional and visual landscapes, inspired by the lush forests, rolling hills and tranquil scenes of her childhood in the North East, as well as the diverse vistas encountered during her travels. The collection reflects a profound connection with nature, where trees, roots and branches emerge as metaphors for life, entanglement, ever-growing and grounded by the enduring roots of home and memory. The recurring motif of leafless trees establishes a quiet dialogue between the artist’s present urban surroundings and the verdant landscapes of her past. Far from symbolising desolation, these forms embody resilience, patience and the promise of renewal, echoing the eternal rhythm of nature.
Through this evocative body of work, Natasha delves into themes of nostalgia, hope, separation and reunion, with each canvas serving as a window into her inner world, a space where memory and emotion intertwine and where life’s quiet persistence continues to inspire transformation.
“Sylvan Reverie is my way of reconnecting with the rhythms of nature that once shaped my sense of self. Every painting in this series carries whispers of the forests I grew up around and the silences that time leaves behind. I see these trees, roots and landscapes as living memories, fragments of longing and hope that continue to evolve with me. Through these works, I wanted to offer viewers a space to pause, to breathe and to rediscover their own bond with the natural world, one that quietly reminds us that even in stillness, life continues to grow,” said Ms Natasha Datta Roy.
This exhibition has been dedicated to the artist’s teacher, Late Shri Ashoke Ganguly and the Assamese superstar, Late Shri Zubeen Garg, whose lives and legacies deeply inspired her creative journey. As a mark of respect, a one-minute silence was observed during the inauguration, followed by the lamp-lighting ceremony.
At its core, Sylvan Reverie stands as a poetic meditation and a reverent homage to the timeless bond between humanity and nature, a celebration of beauty that endures through change, distance and time.
