In a city that rarely slows down, Rujuta Hardas’ latest exhibition offers a quieter way to pause. Currently on display at the newest addition of Gallery FPH in Mumbai from October 1 to October 15, her solo show brings together landscapes shaped by mountains, water, light and her enduring connection with nature.
A room full of landscapes
Step into Hardas’ exhibition and the city seems to take a backseat. Across the works, mountains appear in different forms and moods — from snow-covered peaks and dramatic canyons to rugged rocky landscapes and reflective water bodies. Rather than focusing only on their physical appearance, Hardas explores the atmosphere surrounding these places, particularly the way light changes their character.
The exhibition features paintings created primarily in oils and acrylics, alongside a selection of watercolours. Together, the different mediums bring contrasting qualities to the show, moving between richly textured landscapes and lighter, more spontaneous works.
“I am drawn to a variety of mountain landscapes — from snow-covered peaks and dramatic canyons to rugged, rocky terrains,” Hardas says. “I particularly enjoy observing how light transforms the character of the mountains, as well as the reflections and quiet moments created in the water bodies around them.”
Painting a feeling of nature
For Hardas, these landscapes are also a way of escaping the constant movement of Mumbai. Nature becomes less of a subject to reproduce and more of an experience to revisit through paint.
“My inspiration comes primarily from nature and its sense of tranquillity,” she explains. “When I paint, I imagine myself being present in that landscape.”
That approach can be seen across the exhibition, where stillness, reflections and changing light become recurring elements. One of the works, depicting Mount Kailash, takes a particularly restrained route. Hardas uses varying shades and tints of grey and white to convey what she describes as its quiet and majestic character.
From alla prima to flowing watercolours
Hardas’ technique changes according to the medium. For several of her oil paintings, she has used the alla prima method, completing a work in a single session while the paint remains wet. The approach also suited her earlier routine of working during the day and painting at night.
Her palette shifts with each landscape. Lush greens, earthy browns and warm reds and oranges add depth and an organic quality to many works, while her watercolours embrace transparency and unpredictability.
“I enjoy the spontaneity it brings, allowing the colours to flow and interact in ways that are sometimes unexpected,” she says of watercolour. Oils, meanwhile, offer her greater control over colour, texture and detail.
An artist since childhood
Hardas’ relationship with art began when she was around three or four years old. A self-taught artist, she later developed her watercolour practice under renowned artist Milind Mulick. Her work spans oils, watercolours, acrylics and digital painting, with landscapes forming the centre of her traditional practice and occasional portraits also finding their way into her work.
Professionally, Hardas has worked as an animation and VFX artist and currently works as an AI cinematic artist at Mythik Entertainment. Although art has been part of her life for decades, she began painting seriously in 2018. She has since participated in two group exhibitions, including India Art Fiesta at the Prince of Wales Museum premises in Mumbai and an exhibition at Darpan Art Gallery in Pune.
A pause from the scroll
Hardas hopes visitors experience the exhibition away from the pace of screens and social media. “In today’s age of OTT content, social media, and endless reels, life has become increasingly fast-paced,” she says, encouraging viewers to experience paintings in person rather than through a digital image.
For her, the exhibition is ultimately an invitation to travel without leaving the gallery. “With this exhibition, I like to think that visitors can travel to 25 different places without leaving the room,” she says.
More details:
Where: Gallery FPH, Free Press House, Nariman Point, Mumbai
When: October 1 to October 15, 2026
