An Immersive Morning with Anish Kapoor at the Hayward Gallery, Southbank Centre
A Private Viewing Hosted by the British Fashion Council’s CMO Breakfast Series
Congratulations to Clara Mercer for hosting an exceptional morning on Anish Kapoor’s landmark exhibition at the Hayward Gallery in London, as part of the British Fashion Council’s CMO Breakfast Series.
The event brought together a memorable private viewing at the Southbank Centre, celebrating Kapoor’s work in an intimate and inspiring setting. Dr R. Sri Ram, Founder, CEO and Chair of the UK-India Creative Circle (UKICC), was honoured to attend this exclusive viewing alongside leaders from across the creative, cultural, and fashion sectors.
Immersive Art, Scale and Materiality
It was a privilege to experience Kapoor’s sublime body of work, which transforms the gallery into an immersive journey through scale, materiality, colour, and perception. The exhibition is both evocative and provocative, presenting powerful statements on identity, spirituality, and the contemporary world. As Assistant Curator Thomas Sutton explained, Kapoor’s studio is located just 20 minutes from the Hayward Gallery, with several installations requiring extensive engineering, including drilling into the gallery’s concrete foundations to position the works safely and precisely.
Photo credit: Dave Morgan. Courtesy of the Hayward Gallery and the artist.
Kapoor’s Material Language
Anish Kapoor’s mastery of materials is extraordinary, from matte-black, vortex-like forms to vast sculptures created from silica, PVC, pigment, and mixed media. Each work challenges perceptions of space, light, and self, with his distinctive use of colour and surface creating pieces that are both visually arresting and deeply contemplative.
Contemporary Relevance
The exhibition’s contemporary focus is particularly striking, engaging directly with the present moment rather than reflecting on the past. It offers profound insights into human experience and today’s global condition, reinforcing Kapoor’s position as one of the most influential contemporary artists of our time.
The exhibition is open to the public from 16 June until October, offering a rare opportunity to experience one of Britain’s most celebrated artists of Indian origin on an impressive scale.
Appreciation is extended to Clara Mercer, the British Fashion Council, and the Hayward Gallery team for an exceptional and thought-provoking experience at the Southbank Centre. The event highlights the continued importance of creative exchange between the UK and India.
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