India, Oct. 16 -- The first work by Umika Mediratta-Shriram that caught my attention was a large Buddha rendered in shades of grey, with beautiful flowing streaks of red and gold moving through the composition. It was displayed alongside in a group show (that included my own work) at the Egg Art Gallery in Delhi in 2016. It may have been the soothing, reflective palette. Or maybe it was the artist's seamless blend of centuries-old Thangka painting and a clear contemporary style.

Thangka art has been around since the 7th century BCE and largely depicts the Buddha and scenes from his life, placed within a cosmic landscape. Artists have delicately rendered themes of enlightenment, and the human's place in the universe. The compositions are ...