Viraj Khanna presented a series of acrylic-on-canvas works at Delhi Contemporary Art Week 2026 with Latitude 28. Using portraits of his friends as subjects, Khanna drew on the traditional process of khakha-making, bringing an embroidery tool into the realm of painting.
Made by artisan Sekh Idrish in 2025, the khakha is a sheet of tracing paper perforated with needle holes, traditionally used to transfer patterns onto fabric with oil and powder. Khanna adapted this process by using acrylic paint, allowing it to seep through the perforations and leave marks on the surface. The resulting works translate a technique rooted in textile production into a method of image-making, connecting the precision of embroidery with the spontaneity of paint.
Through this shift in material and process, Khanna continues to investigate the possibilities of traditional craft techniques within contemporary art, reworking an established method to create intimate portraits drawn from his own social world.