The most famous artists with works in the Devi Art Foundation are Anita Dube, Naiza H. Khan, Sudarshan Shetty and Ali Reza Dayani.
Below, the 17 best-known of the 38 artists with works of the Devi Art Foundation in our catalogue (94 works), each with what the museum holds of them.
The masters of the originals
The 10 masters whose originals hang in the Devi Art Foundation
For each master: where and when they were born, their movement, how many originals the museum keeps in our catalogue, a note from their life, and the originals to see.
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1. Anita Dube born 1958
born 1958 Born in Lucknow, India 2 originals at the Devi Art Foundation
Dube's formative years were marked by exposure to the avant-garde movements of India, particularly the influence of artists like Sunil Gupta and Ranbir Singh Bose, who championed conceptual art and challenged traditional aesthetic conventions.
Originals at the Devi Art Foundation
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2. Naiza H. Khan born 1968
born 1968 Born in Bahawalpur, Pakistan 3 originals at the Devi Art Foundation
Naiza H. Khan is an internationally recognized Pakistani artist exploring identity, place & power through multidisciplinary work—drawing, sculpture, video & installation. Represented Pakistan at the Venice Biennale. Research-driven art with a critica. A recurring motif in Khan’s oeuvre is the concept of protection and vulnerability, often manifested through the metaphor of attire.
Originals at the Devi Art Foundation
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3. Sudarshan Shetty born 1961
born 1961 Born in Mangaluru, India 7 originals at the Devi Art Foundation
Born in Mangaluru, India, in 1961, Sudarshan Shetty is a prominent figure in contemporary Indian art. Sudarshan Shetty is considered a leading voice in contemporary Indian art.
Originals at the Devi Art Foundation
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4. Ali Reza Dayani born 1982
born 1982 Born in Tehran, Iran 2 originals at the Devi Art Foundation
Born in Tehran, Iran, in 1982, Ali Reza Dayani emerged from a religious upbringing to forge a visual language that bridges the gap between the tangible world and the subconscious. Dayani’s artistic evolution is marked by a transition from the structured reality of still-life to the boundless territories of Surrealism and Fantastic Realism.
Originals at the Devi Art Foundation
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5. Sheba Chhachhi born 1958
born 1958 Born in Harar, Ethiopia 2 originals at the Devi Art Foundation
Sheba Chhachhi’s early life was shaped by her father's service in the Indian Army, leading to a nomadic childhood before settling in India at age three.
Originals at the Devi Art Foundation
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6. Sheela Gowda born 1957
born 1957 Born in Bhavanagar, India 2 originals at the Devi Art Foundation
In response to the rapid economic shifts and political unease within India, Gowda moved away from the two-dimensional plane toward three-dimensional installations and sculptures.
Originals at the Devi Art Foundation
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7. Reza Aramesh born 1970
born 1970 Born in Tehran, Iran 2 originals at the Devi Art Foundation
Aramesh has been a recurring presence at major international biennials, including the Bienal de la Habana (2022), Venice Biennale (2015 & 2024), and the 14th and 15th Bienal de La Habana. Aramesh’s work has been exhibited at leading galleries including Dastan Gallery, Armory Show Off-Site at Collect Pond Park in New York, and Leila Heller Gallery in New York.
Originals at the Devi Art Foundation
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8. Adeela Suleman & Noorali Chagani born 1970
born 1970 Born in Karachi, Pakistan 2 originals at the Devi Art Foundation
The foundation of their artistic practice is deeply rooted in the academic and cultural soil of Karachi. Chagani, similarly trained at the prestigious Indus Valley School, brings a conceptual rigor that complements Suleman’s tactile explorations. To encounter a work by Suleman and Chagani is to enter a world where the mundane is transformed into the monumental.
Originals at the Devi Art Foundation
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9. Nazgol Ansarinia born 1979
born 1979 Born in Tehran, Iran 2 originals at the Devi Art Foundation
Iranian artist nazgol ansarinia dissects everyday objects & systems through layered installations. Exploring domesticity & routine, her work is featured in the British Museum & Pompidou. What sets Ansarinia apart is not simply what she depicts but how she depicts it.
Originals at the Devi Art Foundation
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10. Rathin Barman born 1981
born 1981 Born in Tripura, India 2 originals at the Devi Art Foundation
Barman's artistic sensibilities were nurtured by a fascination with urban environments and their role in shaping human experience.
Originals at the Devi Art Foundation
The masters, continued
No. 11 to No. 17: more masters of the Devi Art Foundation
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11. Roohi Shafiq Ahmed
born in Ottawa, Canada · 6 originals at the Devi Art Foundation
- Inteshaar (disintegration) (2003)
- Pesh Qadmi (Advance) (2003)
- Tayyar (All Set) (2003)
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12. Aisha Khalid
born 1972 · born in Lahore, Pakistan · 2 originals at the Devi Art Foundation
- From the (2002)
- Gul-e-Lalah
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13. Adeela Suleman
born 1970 · born in Karachi, Pakistan · 4 originals at the Devi Art Foundation
Adeela Suleman is a contemporary Pakistani sculptor known for her powerful social & political commentary through art made from everyday objects. Her work explores gender, violence, and societal issues in Pakistan, often juxtaposing beauty with destru
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14. Mehr Javed
born in Pakistan · 5 originals at the Devi Art Foundation
Pakistani visual artist Mehr Javed explores intimacy & co-existence through performance art & drama. Known for ‘Ruswai’ & ‘Dunk,’ her work challenges societal norms.
- Hairdo (2006)
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- City- IV (2003)
- Letters from Home (2004)
- Letters from Home-XI (2004)
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16. Subodh Gupta
born 1964 · born in India, India · 4 originals at the Devi Art Foundation
Subodh Gupta (b. 1964) is a leading Indian contemporary artist known for large-scale sculptures & installations using everyday objects. Explores themes of identity, globalization, and ritual in India's evolving society. Represented by Hauser & Wirth.
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17. Pushpamala N.
Contemporary Realism
born 1956 · born in Bengaluru, India · 6 originals at the Devi Art Foundation
- Portrait of a Christian woman (2003)
- Flirting (2004)
- Labyrinth (1994)
The house in figures
The masters of the Devi Art Foundation, in figures
The masters with the most originals at the Devi Art Foundation
Masters with two originals or more, by century of birth
Masters with two originals or more, by country of birth
Masters with two originals or more, by movement
Women masters
The women whose originals hang in the Devi Art Foundation
3 women masters, 27 originals, in our catalogue of the Devi Art Foundation.
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Zarina
1937–2020 · born in Aligarh, India · 20 originals at the Devi Art Foundation
- City- IV (2003)
- Letters from Home (2004)
- Letters from Home-XI (2004)
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Pushpamala N.
born 1956 · born in Bengaluru, India · 6 originals at the Devi Art Foundation
- Portrait of a Christian woman (2003)
- Flirting (2004)
- Labyrinth (1994)
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Farah Ossouli
born 1953 · born in Zanjan, Iran · 1 originals at the Devi Art Foundation
- Untitled from hafiz series (2002)
Asked of us
Questions on the masters of the Devi Art Foundation
Open a question to read the answer.
Which artist in the Devi Art Foundation is the most famous?
Anita Dube (born 1958): our catalogue holds 2 works by Anita Dube at the Devi Art Foundation, among them Silence (Blood Wedding) and Soap/Lick. Naiza H. Khan and Sudarshan Shetty follow.
What did Anita Dube paint that hangs in the Devi Art Foundation?
2 works by Anita Dube at the Devi Art Foundation are in our catalogue: Silence (Blood Wedding) and Soap/Lick among them.
Which Naiza H. Khan works are in the Devi Art Foundation?
3 works by Naiza H. Khan at the Devi Art Foundation are in our catalogue: Armour suit for Rani of Jhansi (2008), Two Women Conversing (2001) and Belt (2007) among them.
How many Sudarshan Shetty paintings are in the Devi Art Foundation?
7 works by Sudarshan Shetty at the Devi Art Foundation are in our catalogue: Love, Eight Corners of the World and Untitled among them.
Which famous artists are displayed in the Devi Art Foundation?
By fame: Anita Dube (2), Naiza H. Khan (3), Sudarshan Shetty (7), Ali Reza Dayani (2), Sheba Chhachhi (2), Sheela Gowda (2), Reza Aramesh (2), Adeela Suleman & Noorali Chagani (2), Nazgol Ansarinia (2) and Rathin Barman (2).
Which painter is most represented in the Devi Art Foundation?
Our catalogue holds 20 works by Zarina at the Devi Art Foundation; next come Sudarshan Shetty (7), Roohi Shafiq Ahmed (6) and Pushpamala N. (6).
Are there Leonardo da Vinci works in the Devi Art Foundation?
No: the Devi Art Foundation holds no work by Leonardo da Vinci in our catalogue.
Does the Devi Art Foundation have any Pablo Picasso paintings?
No: the Devi Art Foundation holds no work by Pablo Picasso in our catalogue.
Are there any women painters in the Devi Art Foundation?
Our catalogue lists 3 women artists with works at the Devi Art Foundation: Zarina (20), Pushpamala N. (6) and Farah Ossouli (1).
Are the artists in the Devi Art Foundation mostly French, Italian or Dutch?
By country of birth, the artists with two works or more at the Devi Art Foundation are mostly from India (7), Pakistan (5), Iran (3), Ethiopia (1) and Canada (1).
Who is the earliest artist in the Devi Art Foundation?
Most of the artists with two works or more at the Devi Art Foundation were born in the 20th century (15 artists); the earliest in this ranking is Zarina (1937–2020), the latest Ali Reza Dayani (born 1982).
How many artists have works in the Devi Art Foundation?
38 artists have at least one work of the Devi Art Foundation in our catalogue; 17 have two or more. They were born between 1937 and 1982, in 5 countries.
The house
The Devi Art Foundation, Gurugram, in a few lines
A Sanctuary of South Asian Vision: the Devi Art Foundation
The collection itself is an expansive, breathing entity, boasting over 7,000 pieces that traverse the delicate boundaries between the ancient and the avant-garde. Yet, this reverence for tradition is seamlessly juxtaposed with the raw energy of contemporary sculpture and tribal art that celebrates India’s rich, multifaceted heritage. The collection thrives on this tension, offering experimental works that push the limits of medium and meaning, challenging every preconceived notion of what South Asian art can be.
Architectural Harmony and the Spirit of Innovation
The physical presence of the Devi Art Foundation is as much a work of art as the treasures it houses. Designed by the architect Aniket Bhagwat, the museum’s structure is a masterclass in material dialogue. By blending the rugged, weathered texture of Corten steel with the organic warmth of handmade bricks, the architecture reflects a deliberate reverence for both industrial innovation and artisanal craftsmanship. What truly distinguishes the Devi Art Foundation is its pioneering spirit as India’s inaugural private museum dedicated specifically to contemporary art. Notable exhibitions, such as the groundbreaking “Still Moving Image,” have spotlighted the cinematic potential of video and photography through the eyes of twenty-five Indian artists, fostering a vibrant intellectual exchange. Through initiatives like Khoj Studios, the foundation actively bridges the gap between art production and public discourse, ensuring that art is never cloistered within institutional walls but remains an active, debating presence in the lives of the community.
The famous originals of the Devi Art FoundationThe Devi Art Foundation: the full page, 102 originalsThe museums of Gurugram
How the masters of the originals are ranked
The masters with two originals or more of the Devi Art Foundation in our catalogue are ranked by fame: the Wikipedia language editions that describe them, the visits to their OriginalUniqueArt.com page and our studio's ranking. Originals are counted in our catalogue — one entry per work, without details, studies or copies — not in the museum's inventory. Every date, birthplace and movement is the catalogue's; the notes are drawn from the master's biography.
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