Nikhil Chavan's work moves toward what is
ordinarily kept from view. His practice attends to silent emotion, unspoken pain and the forms of strength that persist beneath the surface of everyday existence without ever declaring themselves. Working primarily in ink on paper and charcoal, he builds images quietly through the accumulation of mark and tone, until what is felt becomes visible in the only way it can, indirectly, through the pressure it exerts on form. A recipient of the inaugural Ardee
Legacy Award 2026, his series Balanced Life, Unbalanced Fate was presented at India Art Fair 2026 and the Students' Biennale in Fort Kochi.