Akara Contemporary showcases the fluid geometry of Tarik Currimbhoy’s Tender Forces

While the American-born artist, Tarik Currimbhoy is known for his minimalist and exquisite works, his vision is to unite architecture with sculpture, coupling the energy’s rhythm with the stability of the form. However, while talking about Tender Forces, the architect’s work reflects a philosophical contemplation of how forces invisibly shape every object. He describes his sculptures as “bolus of forces”--- where forms of steel and bronze create the illusion of weightlessness, almost as though defying gravity. Tarik interprets each material’s inner life, showing that solidity is an illusion and that each “still” form is infused with motions of push and pull, centring and decentering, creating a visual balance of opposing energies. 

Groundedness and lift, simplicity and complexity and materiality and the intangible are the central themes in Tender Forces, where Currimbhoy’s work explores the paradoxes of form and movement. Each piece, for example, Pendulum and Eclipse illustrate the artist’s fascination with how unseen forces influence forms. Like an architectural blueprint transformed into fluidity, his sculptures feature smooth, flowing lines that capture that delicate tension between solidity and movement. His pieces invite viewers to experience forms that oscillate between states of being, capturing motion and stillness. 

Tarik’s approach also draws inspiration from the textures and symbols of his heritage, merging architectural principles with cultural motifs, and incorporating architectural elements from Roman arches to tribal jewellery. However, each sculpture retains a minimalist aesthetic that aligns with the sculptor's refined and modern vision. His work is a study of energy fields materialized in metal, with designs like Wave and Twist embodying the sensation of movement as lines spiral and surfaces reflect ambient light.

Tarik Currimbhoy’s Tender Forces exhibition at Akara Contemporary highlights the gallery’s dedication to presenting art that goes beyond the visual appeal, tapping into deeper, often unseen dimensions of existence, This collection, at once solid and ethereal, brings to life the “task of the translator,” revealing an artist who transforms the intangible forces of our universe into tangible, visual experiences. Through these sculptures, Currimbhoy invites us to view objects not as fixed forms but as active participants.

The exhibition is on until November 16; 11:00 am to 6:30 pm (Tuesday-Saturday)

Address: Akara Contemporary, 3C Amarchand Mansion, 16 Madam Cama Road, Colaba, Mumbai 400001