The intersection between art and nature requires no pondering; each adds to the definition of the other. There is a long tradition of famous artists being inspired by nature, too — from Van Gogh's Irises to Claude Monet's Water Lilies. It is this idea that translates into an exhibition opening today at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya's Coomaraswamy Hall. Titled Art in Nature, it showcases the works of 11 award-winning artists, part of the Indian Arts Collective, specialising in traditional Indian art.

The artwork on display ranges from Kaligat, phad, pithora and pattachitra paintings to kawad wooden boxes, and gadwakam sculptures and ceramics. Although the collective is known to exhibit once a year in Mumbai, this theme is a first for them. "It is a combination of the traditional and the modern because while traditional art features natural elements, the artists here are interpreting their own surroundings. They hail from rural areas, so their work reflects the development they have seen and also highlights the artistic diversity of the country," says organiser Anu Chowdhury-Sorabjee.