Dream catcher

The gently uplifting art of Badri Narayan

Wise, compassionate and endlessly inventive, Badri Narayan added a pinch of fantasy to every story he told. His art occupies a special place in the Sarmaya collection, not just for their incredible skill and craft, but also for their essentially hopeful perspective on life. His world of dreams and fables offered not the empty promise of escapism, but the deeper comfort of transcendence.

Seeking Badri

Sarmaya founder Paul Abraham on why the artist has a special place in our collection

Multimedia master

Printmaking, teaching, writing, illustrating. Badri brought something new to each medium he explored

Signature style

How do you know you're looking at a Badri painting? Here are a few classic giveaways

Bedtime Stories

Badri Narayan was a master storyteller who drew from Indian mythology to spin his own brand of magic

Man of signs

A unicorn, an empty boat, a winged messenger. Decoding the haunting symbols of Badri Narayan’s art