New Delhi, May 8 -- Annual degree shows at art colleges represent a coming-of-age moment for students. Popularly referred to as "display shows", these exhibitions offer aspiring visual arts practitioners the first opportunity to share their formative practices with a wider audience while also getting noticed by gallerists and curators. Last month, the Faculty of Fine Arts at the Maharaja Sayajirao University (MSU) in Vadodara organised its annual degree show for students pursuing master's and bachelor's degrees across disciplines. The painting department stood out for diver sity of practices marked by individuality of expression and profound personal narratives.

Visual artist Mahesh Baliga was impressed by the explorations of materiality...