Alliance between the Ganges and the Nakdong: Navigating Cultural Dialogue

As a curator, I have always been drawn to the way art brings people, cultures, histories, and experiences together. It creates a space where different voices can meet, where ideas can be shared, and where we can discover connections that may not be immediately visible. Alliance between the Ganges and the Nakdong: Navigating Cultural Dialogue has grown out of this interest in dialogue and cultural exchange.

The exhibition brings together twenty-five artists from across India, each with a distinct artistic vision shaped by personal experiences, cultural backgrounds, memories and individual concerns. The participating artists belong to different generations and come from varied educational and artistic backgrounds. Some are senior and established practitioners, while others have received international recognition. The exhibition also includes young artists and students who are beginning to find their own voices. This coming together of different experiences and perspectives forms the heart of the exhibition.

The intention is not to present a single image of India. A country as diverse as India cannot be understood through one perspective alone. Instead, the exhibition brings together a range of artistic expressions that reflect the many ways in which artists experience and interpret the world around them. Their works draw from memory, observation, imagination and everyday realities. They do not follow a common language or approach, yet they find a place alongside one another. It is this diversity that gives the exhibition its character.

The works are brought together not to create a single narrative, but to allow different ideas, materials, forms and sensibilities to exist in conversation. Each artist retains an individual voice, while the exhibition creates opportunities for connections to emerge between them.

The title refers to two rivers, the Ganges in India and the Nakdong in Korea. Rivers are more than geographical features; they carry the memories of people, the histories of places and the stories of generations. As they pass through different landscapes, they connect communities and bring together experiences from distant places. In this exhibition, the two rivers serve as a metaphor for cultural exchange and shared human experience. They remind us that identities, like rivers, are never entirely fixed; they move, encounter new influences and continue to evolve.

The title also draws upon the long-standing cultural association between India and Korea through the story of Princess Suriratna of Ayodhya. Whether understood as history, legend or cultural memory, the story offers a meaningful way of thinking about the relationship between the two regions. It reminds us that connections between cultures may have existed long before they became part of our contemporary conversations.

We often understand ourselves through the differences that separate us. Nations, communities and individuals are frequently defined by their distinct identities, histories and traditions. Yet, beneath these differences, there may be deeper connections shaped by movement, exchange, kinship and shared experiences. The story of Princess Suriratna invites us to look beyond geographical boundaries and consider the possibility of relationships that have continued across generations. It also reminds us that cultural dialogue is not always something new; in many instances, it has roots in the distant past.

The exhibition brings together artists with diverse practices and experiences. Among them is Sonam Tashi from Ladakh, whose work was recently presented at the 2026 Venice Biennale as part of the Indian Pavilion. Prof. Indrapramit Roy, an eminent artist associated with the Faculty of Fine Arts in Vadodara, brings his distinctive artistic perspective to the exhibition. Debasish Mukherjee, a prominent multidisciplinary artist based in New Delhi, adds another dimension through his wide-ranging practice. Alongside these artists are practitioners whom I have personally selected for their individual approaches, engagement with contemporary concerns and the perspectives they bring to this collective dialogue.

Presenting this exhibition in Busan offers an opportunity for these artists to share their work with audiences in a different cultural setting. It also creates a space for audiences to encounter the many directions of contemporary Indian art. The exhibition does not seek to offer a final definition of India or claim to represent the country in its entirety. Rather, it invites viewers to engage with different artistic experiences, discover points of connection and reflect on the questions that emerge through this encounter.

I hope visitors will approach the exhibition as an open conversation rather than a fixed statement. The works gathered here follow different paths, carry different histories and reflect different ways of seeing the world. Like the Ganges and the Nakdong, they move through their own landscapes, yet meet in a shared space. It is in this meeting of differences that the possibility of dialogue, understanding and connection begins.