Much like the thick layer of dust that covers the items in an antique shop, nostalgia coats the vividly coloured paintings of Katayun Saklat exhibited by Debovasha recently at their show, Just Katayun. The subjects depicted seem almost out of time. People in traditional Parsi clothes pose, as if for studio portraits of yore. Others float in whimsical, surreal dreamlands blooming with memories of lost people, places and stories. Curios and fine china stored in showcases and crockery from breakfasts past become subjects for still life.

What makes this body of work rich is the multiplicity of media and styles. Two women lie languorously in a Kalighat-style tribute to Jamini Ray; minimalist scribbles and squiggles reminiscent of Ganesh Haloi are used to exalt diversity; and cubism is employed to present colourful views of staircases, windows and building facades. All of this coexists with bold, Klinesque calligraphic strokes, the geometric symbolism of Klimt, kitchy landscapes and fine pen sketches.

Besides the ease with which Saklat handles each medium, what a viewer takes away from this exhibition is the artist’s quiet sense of humour — she caricatures everything, from humans and animals to family members and herself. Even when sadness permeates a work, one can always find a stray detail tucked in by the artist to make one smile.