About

Gallery Mandate

Emami Art is a contemporary art gallery based in Kolkata, India, established in 2017. The gallery represents a carefully selected roster of emerging, mid-career, and established artists whose practices engage with critical questions of history, materiality, and contemporary experience in South Asia, while contributing meaningfully to global art discourse.

Emami Art develops a rigorous exhibition programme of solo and group presentations, complemented by sustained participation in national and international art fairs and collaborative platforms. With a consistent focus on practices from eastern and north-eastern India, the gallery plays an active role in advancing historically underrepresented regional narratives within museum, curatorial, and scholarly contexts. Works by artists represented by Emami Art are held in important public and private collections in India and internationally, including major museums and foundations.

 

Beyond exhibitions and market-facing activity, the gallery invests in long-term artistic development through annual open calls and awards that support research, production, and first-time institutional presentation. Emami Art also produces commissioned and curated projects beyond the gallery space, notably the annual Emami Art Experimental Film Festival, which foregrounds experimental moving-image practices and contributes to expanded notions of contemporary art within museum and archival frameworks.

 

Through mentorship, residencies, and sustained professional engagement, Emami Art maintains a practice-led approach to representation, prioritising depth, continuity, and scholarly relevance. Positioned at the intersection of artistic production, market engagement, and critical exchange, the gallery continues to build meaningful relationships across regional, national and international contexts.

  • R. S. AGARWAL | R. S. GOENKA, Founder & Chairman Emeritus | Founder & Non-Executive Chairman

    R. S. AGARWAL | R. S. GOENKA

    Founder & Chairman Emeritus | Founder & Non-Executive Chairman

    R. S. Agarwal

    Founder & Chairman Emeritus

    R. S. Agarwal, a present-day Management Guru and administrator par excellence is known for his great consumer insight and far sight. He, along with Co-Founder, R. S. Goenka are considered as unparalleled achievers of the modern business. From a very humble beginning and with very limited resources, Agarwal has driven the Company with exceptional and extra-ordinary skills to make Emami reach its present stage. His forte lies in identifying and capitalising on opportunities with speed and precision.

    R. S. Agarwal along with his childhood friend cum business partner R. S. Goenka, have over the years successfully built a homegrown business conglomerate - Emami Group with leadership presence in diverse industries viz. edible oil, paper & packaging board, writing instruments, real estate and retail.

    A Chartered Accountant, Company Secretary, LLB and a Master's Degree holder in Commerce, R. S. Agarwal's academic brilliance is an asset during times of major implementations. After steering the Company as Executive Chairman, R. S. Agarwal has currently taken up a greater role of a ‘mentor' as Chairman Emeritus and Non-Executive Director.

    A passionate advocate of art, R. S. Agarwal is associated with many Welfare Societies, Charitable Trusts and Philanthropic organisations. Among innumerable awards and recognitions for his outstanding contribution to the industry and society as a whole, Mr Agarwal is the proud recipient of the Global Xaverian Award in 2014. He has also been conferred Degree of D.Litt. (Honoris Causa) by KIIT University of Bhubaneswar in 2017 and Doctorate of Philosophy (D.Phil.) Honoris Causa degree by Amity University, Kolkata in 2021.

    R. S. GOENKA

    Founder & Non-Executive Chairman

    A great creator of shift of mindset, R. S. Goenka is always open to new ways of doing things to build new capabilities. He recognises the need to go into details and gives significant premium on loyalty and commitment.

    As an M.Com and LLB, R.S. Goenka is an expert in taxation and known for his expertise in strategic planning, corporate affairs and finance. He, along with Co-Founder, R.S. Agarwal are considered as unparalleled achievers of the modern business. From a very humble beginning and with very limited resources, Goenka together with his

     

  • RICHA AGARWAL, CEO, Emami Art

    RICHA AGARWAL

    CEO, Emami Art

    Richa Agarwal, Chairperson of the Kolkata Centre for Creativity and CEO of Emami Art, is a distinguished patron and art connoisseur dedicated to preserving Bengal's artistic and cultural heritage while embracing its contemporary evolution. Inspired by the legacy of her father-in-law, Mr. R.S. Agarwal, and his business partner, Mr. R.S. Goenka, Richa has seamlessly transitioned from her background in commerce and entrepreneurship to the realm of arts management. With strong business acumen and hands-on experience within her family enterprises, she brings a distinctive perspective to her leadership in the arts.

     

    Richa's contributions to art and culture have earned her numerous accolades, including the FEMINA Achievers’ 2024 East Award for Excellence in the Promotion of the Arts, the New Indian Express Group DEVI Award in 2022, and the Times Power Women Award in 2018. Her vision for the Kolkata Centre for Creativity (KCC) and Emami Art focuses on fostering a deeper appreciation for art, crafts, and cultural practices. She has spearheaded initiatives that span multiple disciplines and approaches, from contemporary and cutting-edge art practices to inclusive programmes such as "Art for All" and DEAI (Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion) initiatives like a Braille library.

     

    Richa has also prioritised documenting and archiving lesser-known artists, organising annual art and craft festivals that engage the entire city, and hosting ground-breaking symposiums. Under her visionary leadership, KCC offers a diverse and nuanced programme that caters to a wide audience, making art and culture more approachable. As a result, the Kolkata Centre for Creativity has become synonymous with exceptional yet accessible art and cultural practices in the city.

  • USHMITA SAHU, Director & Head Curator, Emami Art

    USHMITA SAHU

    Director & Head Curator, Emami Art

    Ushmita Sahu has a background in fine arts from Kala Bhavana, Visva Bharati University, Santiniketan. Before joining Emami Art in 2021, Sahu worked as an artist, independent curator, art writer and scholar for several years and has numerous national and international projects to her credit. Sahu believes in harnessing a multidimensional approach to engage with artistic and cultural practices and production. She has steered Emami Art towards becoming a space of ferment, inclusivity and discourse. In addition to a multi-faceted approach to exhibitions, she has also introduced various programmes that explore collaborations, mentorship, critical dialogues, artistic and creative exchanges, and pedagogical approaches to knowledge- making and sharing. Sahu also lectures at different art and design institutes and mentors young artists. As a scholar, she has been researching modernist artist-designer Riten Mozumdar for several years, is the leading authority on Mozumdar’s practice, and has curated two major exhibitions on him. A recipient of the IFA (India Foundation for the Arts) research grant to continue her research on Riten Mozumdar, she has previously authored several pieces on Mozumdar, which includes a monograph in Bengali. Presently she is working on a book on Modernist Design Histories of India.