NEW DELHI.- The Gujral Foundation is presenting Astha Butail’s solo exhibition ‘In the Absence of Writing’ at its experimental site 24 Jor Bagh in New Delhi. The project is a culmination of the artist’s year-long journey in researching memory and living traditions that are passed on through teachings and oral poetry, with a focus on Zoroastrian Avesta, the Jewish Oral Torah and Indian Vedic philosophy.

As a multidisciplinary artist, Butail trained in textile design and has studied Sanskrit. She uses geometry, cultural systems and oral traditions as metaphors to respond to her research. Drawing parallels between traditions, she presents her journey through abstracted hymns from the Rig Veda and varied mediums; video, sound, sculpture and experiential installations invite the viewer to an interactive exploration of cultural values, lived spaces and notions of time. Butail received BMW’s Art Journey award for her research in 2017-2018. The upcoming show is curated by Reha Sodhi and will include new works, as interventions in the space at 24 Jor Bagh, commissioned by The Gujral Foundation.

"Astha Butail's work reflects the depth of her research across diverse cultures and her versatility as an artist skilled in many disciplines. We are delighted to present her solo as the foundation's first project of the year, and are looking forward to introducing new audiences to her innovative artistic practice."- Feroze Gujral, Founder & Director, The Gujral Foundation | Founder Director, Outset India

“In ancient traditions, memory and knowledge were often transferred using the basis of mathematics and algorithms, Astha Butail's practice responds to this by incorporating geometry to explore ways in which composite elements relate to a whole. In a fast-paced, technology-driven world, Butail reconnects us to worlds in which traditions and ideas are still shared slowly, through deeper interpersonal connections.” - Reha Sodhi, Curator

Born in 1977 in Amritsar, India, Butail’s recent solo exhibitions include Locus of Being (2017) and Manifested Ratios(2014) at GallerySKE, Bangalore, India. Group exhibitions include Unearth: Matter, Time, Process (2017) at Exhibit320, New Delhi, India; Raster: Emerging from the Grid (2016) at Experimenter, Kolkata, India; Codes of Culture (2015) at GallerySKE, New Delhi, India; Make/Do (2014) at GallerySKE, New Delhi, India; Fracture: Indian Textiles, New Conversations (2015) and Sarai 09: The Exhibition (2013) at Devi Art Foundation, Gurgaon, India. The artist lives and works in Gurgaon, India, and is represented in India by GallerySKE.