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27 Jan 2026

apexart International Open Call 2026-27

Opening of Skate, Create, Liberate: Women Artists and the Future of Radical Space in Ethiopia, an open call winning exhibition curated by Betelihem Zena, 2025

apexart INTL Open Call for group exhibitions

Accepting proposals: February 1 - March 1, 2026

apexart invites 500 word idea-based group exhibition proposals for 2026-27 INTL Open Call from February 1 - March 1, 2026. Five winning proposals will each receive a $10k exhibition budget to become apexart exhibitions in their respective locations around the world as part of their 2026-27 exhibition season. Curators, artists, writers, and creative individuals, regardless of experience level or location, are invited to submit a proposal online.

The submission process
Proposals should describe a focused, idea-driven, original group exhibition of 3 or more artists. No biographical info, CVs, links, or images will be accepted. Submissions cannot exceed 500 words and must be submitted in English. Jurors from 85 countries then jury the proposals based on their personal interest, cultural assessment, content and communication of the idea. See examples of winning proposals here.

The selection process
Rather than a typical 5-person panel to review hundreds of ideas, apexart’s crowd-sourced system involves hundreds of jurors from more than 85 countries, reviewing proposals at their own schedule over one month. The jury is composed of up to individuals from a wide variety of professional backgrounds and international locations including students from 20 participating university classes who will rate the proposals. Proposals are anonymous and randomized to ensure each submission receives equal consideration, resulting in more than 30,000 votes on over 600 proposals. apexart staff does not influence the results of the jury in any way.

The results
Each of the five winning proposals will receive an exhibition budget of $10,000; the exhibition brochure, printed and mailed to over six thousand international recipients; and to be a part of apexart’s 2026-2027 exhibition season. apexart provides full admin and logistics support, assisting curators to realize their original ideas into apexart exhibitions. Exhibition curators must work within the funding provided to transform their winning proposals into focused, noteworthy exhibitions.

To submit an exhibition proposal, visit https://apexart.org/opencalls.php between February 1 and March 1, 2026.

To contribute articles, please get in touch at artsceneinfo@gmail.com

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8 Dec 2025

Art News: India Art Festival Bengaluru, December 2025

India Art Festival returns to Bengaluru with its 5th edition

Over 3,000 artworks, 20+ galleries and 300 artists under one roof

India Art Festival (IAF) is back in Bengaluru for its fifth edition from 12 to 14 December 2025 at the Crown Pavilions, Palace Ground, Gate No. 5.

India Art Festival 5th Edition, Bengaluru, 12-14th Dec, Palace Grounds; Art Scene India

Laxma Goud

The Bangalore art market is expanding rapidly in proportion to its population. Currently, its population is almost half of that of Mumbai and Delhi. Rajendra Patil, Director of India Art Festival elaborates, “the city has a large, diverse, and growing community that enjoys art, right from young professionals, families, and art buyers all of whom actively visit art events. In fact, people come to the art festival not just to see art but also to find artworks that make their homes feel more inspiring. Bengaluru also has museums, cultural spaces, historical landmarks, and many corporates that support creative activities. All of this makes the city a strong place for artists to present their work and for the festival to reach new audiences.”

Rajendra recollects that when India Art Festival began in Mumbai, there was no art fair in the city. “Similarly, when we started the festival in Bangalore five years ago, there was no platform where galleries and artists could come together with the city’s art lovers. Clearly, there was a real need for such a space and we are happy to be back in Bengaluru.”

As part of the India Art Festival, for three days, the city will host a vibrant showcase of contemporary Indian art, bringing together over 20 galleries and 300 artists from 25 cities across India.

This year’s edition will feature a wide range of artworks across mediums – including paintings, sculptures, photographs, ceramics, installations, traditional art forms and more – making it a must-visit for both seasoned collectors and first-time buyers.

It is to be noted that the art market and the profile of art buyers in India have changed a lot in the past decade. Earlier, it was mainly large corporates who bought art, but now individuals are buying more art for their homes and offices.

Yusuf Arakkal

According to Rajendra, “There’s also a big shift from the real-estate and interior design end. Developers and interior designers are constantly looking for good artworks that are not necessarily expensive - pieces that are original, appealing, and fit well into modern living spaces. Another noticeable change is that many new bankers, tech professionals, and young homeowners are buying art too. They may not think of themselves as “collectors” because they usually buy only a few pieces. They buy art simply because they like it, not because they’re thinking about investment.

In all major cities, this group of spur-of-the-moment, first-time art buyers has increased in huge numbers. And events like India Art Festival play a key role in expanding this circle of art patrons. By bringing galleries, artists, and the public together under one roof, the festival makes art more accessible and encourages many new people to start buying and appreciating art.”

Ramesh Gorjala

IAF, 12 - 14 December 2025, Bengaluru

More than 3,000 artworks will be on display, ranging from oil, acrylic and watercolour works to mixed media, installations and regional art traditions. The festival aims to make art accessible and enjoyable for everyone – whether you’re an art connoisseur, a young collector, or simply curious about the world of art. India Art Festival has always focused on creating a balance between emerging talent and established masters. This year too, young and independent artists will show their works alongside eminent names in Indian art, offering visitors a rich and diverse view of today’s contemporary art scene.

Special Curated Exhibition: Brushstrokes of Karnataka

One of the major highlights of this year’s festival is the specially curated exhibition ‘Brushstrokes of Karnataka’, led by Prof. K.S. Appajaiah. This showcase brings together the works of more than 30 renowned artists from Bengaluru and across Karnataka, celebrating the state’s breathtaking landscapes and rich heritage. From the historic ruins of Hampi and Badami to the lush Western Ghats and diverse regional terrains, the exhibition captures the true spirit and beauty of Karnataka.

The Artists Showcasing in Brush Strokes of Karnataka include ‘Kantharaj N, Dundappa S Lolasoori, Shrisail Shrimant Kamate, Lingaraju M S, Prahallad K V Acharya, Chetan C S, Manjunath Wali, Syed Asif Ali, Makali K K, VRC Shekhar, Babu Jattakar, Sathish Biradar, Bheemrao K Badiger, Lokesh R, K S Kamatagoudar, Madivalappa S Langoti, Mallappa Halli, Gangadhar Bandanavar, Shirish Deshpande, Shweta, Hemavathi Sadashiv, D Pavan Kumar, Siddanna S Maragol, Roopesh Nanaiah

It stands as a heartfelt tribute to the land—its scenery, its cultural legacy, and its iconic temple architecture.

Rajeev Rai

Artists’ Pavilion: Young talent meets masters

The Artists’ Pavilion will feature more than 200 independent artists, exhibiting alongside around 100 established artists represented by galleries. Promising young artists such as Monica Ghule, Yuvraj Patil, Dev Mehta, Rajeev Rai, Sandeep Ghule, Anil Vergese, Anjali Prabhakar, Kalpana Soni and many others will be presenting their works. Their art will be shown alongside works by renowned masters including Yusuf Arakkal, Krishen Khanna, Manu Parekh, Ramesh Gorjala, T. Vaikuntam, Akbar Padamsee, Laxman Aelay, Seema Kohli and several others, offering visitors a rare chance to see multiple generations of Indian artists in one space.

Participating Galleries

From Bengaluru

Sara Arakkal Galerie, ReIGNITE EDTECH PVT LTD, Gallery Charvi

From Mumbai

House of Emerge, Studio3 Gallery, Studio Monica Ghule, Dev Mehta Art Gallery, Nitya Artists Centre, Curators.art and Chitraksh Art

From New Delhi & NCR

Gallery Pioneer, Uchaan, Artecious World Art Gallery, Aura Planet, Eminent Art Gallery, Shree Yash Art Gallery and Galerie Art Eterne

From Other Cities & Overseas

Gnani Arts, Singapore, Artsbreeze Art Gallery, Hyderabad, Pichwaiwala Narendra Art, Udaipur and M Narayan Studio, Pune

Event Details

Dates: 12–14 December 2025
Venue: Crown Pavilions, Palace Grounds, Gate No. 5, Bellary Road, Near Mekhri Circle, Bengaluru
Timings: 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Tickets: ₹199 season pass (valid all three days), available via BookMyShow and at the venue

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9 Sept 2025

Art News: Whispers Between Worlds

Whispers Between Worlds: iArt Gallery’s New Exhibition Invites Viewers into the Subtle

This September, iArt Gallery in Bengaluru presents Whispers Between Worlds (September 12 – October 13, 2025), a month-long group exhibition that gently turns our attention away from the rush of the everyday and towards the subtle spaces that often go unnoticed.

Narayan Lakshman

Showcasing the evocative practices of Narayan Lakshman, Anjali Rajkumar, and Mohit Naik, the exhibition explores the unseen, the in-between, and the almost forgotten. In a cultural moment increasingly defined by urgency, rupture, and excess, Whispers Between Worlds asks viewers to slow down. It offers a space where art does not demand but instead invites; where works do not declare, but whisper.

Located in the heart of Bengaluru on Lavelle Road, iArt is committed to fostering meaningful artistic engagement. Since its inception, iArt has championed Indian contemporary artists whose works are alive with their storytelling, rich textures and innovative techniques.

Anjali Rajkumar

The current exhibition is conceived as a threshold — a porous, liminal space where memory and material, body and landscape, tradition and transition intersect. Each of the participating artists approaches this idea through their own visual language.

Narayan Lakshman’s fragile material interventions explore the persistence of memory and the quiet erosion of time. Anjali Rajkumar layers form and texture in ways that evoke ancestral rhythms while speaking to identities that shift and adapt. Mohit Naik uses meditative gestures to construct local landscapes of reflection, asking viewers to consider the everyday as a site of transformation.

Though their practices are distinct, the three are united in their attentiveness — to the subtle, to the in-between, to the things that resist easy articulation. What gives the exhibition its particular resonance is the way it lingers in the spaces between certainty and ambiguity. Instead of offering answers, the works create atmospheres — moments where viewers are invited to dwell in stillness, to sense rather than to solve.

Mohit Naik

The show positions itself not as a resolution but as an unfolding, a reminder that some experiences exist only in the realm of suggestion and echo.

Exhibition Dates: September 12 – October 13, 2025

Venue: iArt Gallery, Lavelle Road, Bengaluru

Artists: Narayan Lakshman | Anjali Rajkumar | Mohit Naik

With Whispers Between Worlds, iArt Gallery offers its visitors not just an exhibition, but an invitation — to pause, to reflect, and to rediscover the power of the quiet.

For more information Email: contact@iartgallery.in, Phone: +91 9900600473

Connect on https://www.instagram.com/iartgalleria/

For interviews, profiles, sponsored posts and to contribute articles, contact artsceneinfo@gmail.com

16 Dec 2024

Art News: India Art Festival Bengaluru, December 2024

India Art Festival Bengaluru, December 2024: A Grand Celebration of Art and Culture

Bengaluru: The much-awaited India Art Festival (IAF) is set to return to Bengaluru for its fourth edition, enthralling art lovers from December 19 to 22, 2024, at the Palace Ground, Kings Court. This edition promises to be the most expansive and diverse yet, bringing together an unprecedented number of participants to celebrate art.

India Art Festival, IAF Bangalore 2024, Image for Art Scene India

Lalu Prasad Shaw

With over 30 galleries and contributions from 350 artists representing 30 cities across India, the art festival will showcase a wide array of artistic expressions, from paintings and sculptures to photography, ceramics, and installations. This year’s IAF highlights the vibrancy of India’s contemporary art scene, providing a platform to explore its latest trends and innovations.

A Feast for Art Enthusiasts

Opening on December 19, the art festival offers visitors a chance to immerse themselves in a rich tapestry of artistic diversity. Over 3,500 pieces of art, spanning oil paintings, acrylics, watercolours, installations, traditional art, and much more, will be displayed at the Kings Court, Palace Ground. The event aims to captivate both seasoned collectors and first-time buyers, ensuring a comprehensive art experience for all.

India Art Festival has consistently fostered a balance between supporting emerging talents and showcasing works by established artists, creating a unique platform for artistic expression. In this edition, young and independent artists will shine alongside eminent names, offering a fresh perspective on contemporary art.

Special Exhibitions and Events

Chandra Battacharya

A key highlight of this year’s India Art Festival is the curated exhibition, "Shaping Horizons: Karnataka’s Iconic Innovators," masterfully curated by Prof. K.S. Appajaiah. This remarkable showcase celebrates the pioneering works of 30 distinguished artists, including S.G. Vasudev, Gurudas Shenoy, M.S. Murthy, M.J. Kamalakshi, C. Chandrashekhar, J.S. Khanderao, V.G. Andani, Sudha Manohar, Hemavathi Umamaheswar, and others. Together, these luminaries have profoundly influenced and shaped Karnataka’s art landscape, leaving an indelible mark on the cultural fabric of the region. This exhibition is a tribute to their enduring legacy and a celebration of their visionary contributions to the world of art.

Laxman Aelay

IAF Creative Excellence Awards

The India Art Festival (IAF), a premier platform celebrating contemporary art and artists, proudly reintroduces its IAF Creative Excellence Awards in this edition. Established in 2011, these prestigious awards honor the creativity, innovation, and dedication of artists participating in the festival. Open to both independent artists and those represented by galleries, the awards recognize outstanding talent showcased across IAF editions in New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad.

Each award includes a memento, a certificate of appreciation, and a cash prize of ₹50,000, presented to two selected artists. The winners are chosen by an independent jury comprising two esteemed figures from the art world. The awards will be ceremoniously presented during the opening ceremony of the India Art Festival on December 19, 2024, at 11:30 AM at Kings Court, Palace Grounds, Bengaluru. This initiative underscores IAF's commitment to nurturing artistic excellence and celebrating the diverse talents that enrich the contemporary art scene.

Fusion Shows

Amit Bhar

Every year, the India Art Festival offers an enchanting convergence of music and visual art, blending the universally beloved medium of sound with the evocative, often intricate language of visual expression to craft an immersive sensory experience. This year, the festival elevates its cultural repertoire with captivating fusion performances and live painting sessions featuring renowned artists P. Gnana, Manjegowda, and Eby N Joseph, accompanied by exceptional musicians Subramanya Hegade (Sitar), Prasanna Ballal (Mandolin), Shrinidhi Katti (Flute), and Sandeep M (Tabla).

These dynamic collaborations will transform the festival into a vibrant cultural hub, offering audiences a harmonious interplay of art and music on December 20, 21, and 22, from 3:30 PM to 5:00 PM. This unique synthesis promises to captivate art and music enthusiasts alike, enriching their festival experience with creativity and inspiration.

Film Screenings

The other highlight of the India Art Festival, Bengaluru, is the screening of the enlightening film, "The Eternal Canvas – 12,000 Years Journey through Indian Art." This cinematic masterpiece offers an immersive exploration of India’s rich artistic heritage, tracing its evolution from prehistoric cave paintings to the vibrant expressions of contemporary art.

Through captivating visuals and compelling narratives, the film provides a panoramic journey across millennia, celebrating the profound creativity and cultural legacy of Indian art. Visitors are invited to experience this visual odyssey on December 20, 21, and 22, with screenings scheduled from 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM each day.
This feature adds a dynamic dimension to the festival, offering an educational and inspiring experience for art enthusiasts and history lovers alike.

Praveen Kumar

Artistic Pavilion and Global Participation

This year’s Artists’ Pavilion will feature 300 independent artists presenting their works alongside 100 established artists represented by galleries. Participating galleries include Bengaluru-based Space Edge, Sara Arakkal Galerie, and Gallery Charvi, along with prominent names from Mumbai, Delhi NCR, and beyond, including international galleries like Gnani Arts (Singapore) and Artconcept (Dubai).

Participating Art Galleries:

Bengaluru : Space Edge, Sara Arakkal Galerie, Shiny Colors Art Gallery, ReIGNITE EDTECH PVT LTD, Akanksha Art Gallery, iArt Gallery, ASR Art Studio, Gallery Charvi

Mumbai: House of Emerge, Rhythm Art, Studio Monica Ghule, Studio Pankaj Bawdekar, Nitya Artists Centre, Bouquet of Art Gallery

New Delhi & NCR: Gallery Pioneer, Pastel Tale, OPS Art Gallery, Uchaan, Artecious World Art Gallery, Aura Planet, Artehut, Merakii Art House, Eminent Art Gallery,

Gnani Arts, Singapore, Artconcept, Dubai
Artsbreeze Art Gallery, Hyderabad, Pichwaiwala Narendra Art, Udaipur, Smita Art, Kolkata
M Narayan Studio from Pune.

Event Details

Dates: December 19 to 22, 2024
Venue: Kings Court, Palace Ground, Gate No. 5, Bellary Road, Near Mekhri Circle, Bengaluru
Timings: 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM
Tickets: Day Pass ₹299, & Season Pass ₹499 available on BookMyShow.com and at the venue

- Excerpt from press release

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13 Sept 2024

Art News: MAP, Bengaluru Appoints Harish Vasudevan As Acting Director

Harish Vasudevan as Acting Director of MAP

Museum of Art & Photography (MAP) in Bengaluru, India announced the appointment of Harish Vasudevan as Acting Director on September 9th, 2024.

Reflecting on the continuing development of the museum from its roots as the first digital museum in India, and the successful opening of its building in Bengaluru in February 2023, the appointment is designed to prepare the organisation for further growth.

In over three decades of experience, Harish has held several leadership roles in multiple geographies, with companies like Ogilvy & Mather as well as IBM. He is also a published author and teacher. Over the last six months Harish has been consulting with MAP on Marketing and Operations.

Besides working with all the Heads of departments across Education, Collections,
Conservation, Inclusion, Marketing & Communications, Design and Development, Harish
will be further supported by Dr. Arnika Ahldag, Head of Curation and Exhibitions at MAP.

Commenting on the announcement, Abhishek Poddar, Founder and President of MAP said “As we looked at our plans for the future, we were looking for someone with the skills to develop the organisation, while also strengthening the brand. Harish has just the right combination of expertise and experience to build on the foundation that MAP has laid over the last few years.”

“The first time I entered MAP I fell in love with it. I am honoured to get a chance to lead this fabulous team as we get ready for Phase 2 of MAP’s impressive journey as India’s first new museum to open in a decade.”, says Harish Vasudevan — Acting Director, MAP.

- Excerpt from press release

19 Jan 2024

(Un)Contained a solo exhibition of paintings by Smita Verma

Curatorial Note

‘(Un)Contained’ is an extension of artist Smita Verma’s previous body of work, a nostalgic memoir of her childhood and home in Rajasthan, viewed through a lens of longing and wistfulness. The built environment and the sky, symbolic of hope and infinite possibilities amidst the urban landscape, continues to form the core of her visual schema. Smita navigates the numerous characteristics, complexities and dichotomies of a city as an organic, living entity that expands its physical boundaries over time, and is perceived as a land of dreams and opportunities. Despite being mired in conflicts and anxieties, the city appears as a mirage, a utopian dream, for many.

Painting by Smita Verma, Art Scene India

Long Haul by Smita Verma

Smita attempts to reconcile memories of her childhood with the currency of her life in Bangalore, situating it against a city, with a rapidly evolving landscape. She finds solace in watching the infinite stretch of the sky, an expanse of azure blue shared with loved ones back in Rajasthan, her childhood home - a connect that keeps her centred. Thus, the sky in its varying colours, from a pale cerulean on a clear summer day, a fiery crimson and a golden hue with the setting sun, to an inky black bathed in moonshine, forms the backdrop for each of her work.

The meticulously arranged buildings on her canvas belie the chaos that typifies urban planning and life. The comingling of varied styles of painting on a single surface creates a distinct visual vocabulary, a fusion of tradition with contemporaneity. Having learnt Kangra painting from a noted traditional artist, Smita incorporates elements from miniature style of painting in the detailing of the foliage, the clouds, the skyline, and in the blocks of buildings. She also opts for a two-dimensional perspective, at times, which references Indian miniature painting style. In most of the paintings, naturalistic rendering is interspersed with miniature elements and motifs to represent the inherent complexities and the dichotomy of a city’s charm and appeal.

Panorama by Smita Verma

The sharply delineated buildings, stylised at times, but disrupting the horizon in a marked manner, intensify the contrast between the blended hues of the sky and the foliage, acting as a metaphor for the conflicts, challenges and the joy and fulfilment contained within the confines of a city. Several such paradoxes are amplified in the juxtaposition of pictorial elements. Glittering windows in the tall skyscrapers, vestiges of floral blooms and trees around the concrete structures, and the sky in its glorious splendour, recreate an illusion of calm and bliss.

The absence of human figures alludes to the sense of isolation that pervades despite the bustling nature of the city. The silence and stillness is palpable, a moment in time as if suspended unnaturally between the past and future. Winding roads, flyovers, playgrounds and fields, and walkways are lined with foliage and an abundance of concrete structures. Relics of histories appear in the form of old buildings and monuments that are resplendent yet dilapidated; fallen flowers cover a derelict car as an ode to the numerous blossoms that once lined Bangalore roads, lush green foliage adorn the top of the buildings offers a satirical view of the concrete jungle that has now replaced the natural cover. Notions of conflict between man and nature, and the irony of progress amidst ecological deterioration through urban landscapes present the decay in its sartorial beauty.

Nalini S Malaviya
Curator

(Un)Contained is on view at Lalit Kala Akademi, gallery no. 3, New Delhi, till 23rd Jan, 2024

11 Dec 2023

Art News: India Art Festival in Bangalore

India Art Festival Returns to Bengaluru with its Third Edition, Showcasing an Unprecedented Array of Artistic Talent

The highly anticipated India Art Festival (IAF) returns to Bengaluru for its third edition, from December 14 to 17 at the expansive Palace Ground, Kings Court. This year's edition promises an unparalleled showcase of artistic brilliance, with an unprecedented number of participants, making it the largest and most diverse gathering of artists and galleries to date.

India Art Festival, Bangalore, Image for Art Scene India

Gurudas Shenoy

Boasting an impressive scale and scope, the 3rd Bengaluru edition of IAF is set to captivate the city with cutting-edge contemporary art, presented by over 25 art galleries and featuring contributions from a staggering 400 artists hailing from 40 different cities across India. The festival is a testament to the thriving art scene in the country, offering a comprehensive exploration of various artistic expressions, including paintings, sculptures, photography, ceramics, and installations.

Opening on December 14, the event will serve as a melting pot of artistic diversity, providing insights into the latest trends in Indian and Asian diaspora art. Founded in 2011 by the publishers of the Indian Contemporary Art Journal, IAF stands as the only annual art fair held in three major metro cities – Mumbai, New Delhi, and Bengaluru – having successfully mounted 25 editions thus far.

With a staggering 3500 pieces of art on display at the Palace Ground, IAF caters to a wide audience, welcoming seasoned art collectors and new buyers alike. The eclectic selection includes oil paintings, acrylics, watercolours, original prints, installations, and drawings in myriad styles, covering landscapes, figurative works, abstracts, cityscapes, seascapes, urban and rural scenarios, portraits, nudes, religious art, traditional paintings, murals, Warli art, and much more.

Prabhu Joshi

Over the last thirteen years, India Art Festival has been a consistent platform for both
emerging talents and established artists, striving to provide an open atmosphere for contemporary art. In its 3rd edition in Bengaluru, the festival strikes a balance between appealing to seasoned art enthusiasts and actively engaging with a younger generation of tech-savvy art buyers, resulting in a diverse and eclectic selection of art.

This year, the festival is proud to feature the imaginative contributions of young talents, injecting refreshing perspectives and radical visual art voices. The Kings Court at the Palace Ground will host 80 booths, showcasing a total of 3500 pieces of art.

Participating art galleries include Akanksha Art Gallery, Charvi Art Gallery, Shiny Colours Art Gallery, H Art Gallery, SM Art Gallery, Sara Arakkal Gallerie (all Bengaluru), ArtDesh Foundation, Artvista, Beyond the Canvas, Bouquet of Art Gallery, Nitya Artists Center, Studio Pankaj Bawdekar, Studio Monica Ghule, Studio Om Thadkar, The Bombay Art Society (Mumbai), ArteHut, Aura Planet, Eminent Art Gallery, Gallery Pioneer, Pastel Tale OPS Art Gallery, Sudha Art Creations & Uchaan (Delhi-NCR), Gnani Arts (Singapore), Arpitam Kala Mandir (Kolkata), M Narayan Studio (Pune), Pichwaiwala - Narendra Arts & Handicrafts (Udaipur), among others.

Thota Vaikuntam

The festival also introduces the Artists’ Pavilion, featuring individual booths by independent artists designed to foster a dialogue between viewers and artists. This multi-level engagement encourages a direct connection between the art market and artists, facilitating open discussions and the purchase of artwork on an open platform. India Art Festival Director, Rajendra, emphasizes the festival's commitment to democratizing 'art viewing and buying,' a movement that has spread across Mumbai, New Delhi, and Bengaluru over the past thirteen years.

This year, the Artists’ Pavilion showcases both unknown talents and established names, with more than 300 independent artists presenting their expressions in the form of paintings and sculptures alongside 100 established artists exhibited by art galleries. The diverse range of subjects explored by these artists encompasses personal experiences to intense narratives.

The 3rd Bengaluru edition of India Art Festival promises not only visual delights but also auditory, visual and cinematic experiences. Eminent artists Ganapati Agnihotri, Kanthraj N, Chintamani G G, Ganesh Doddamani along with musicians Manjunath (Flute), Subramanya Hegde (Sitar), Karthik I S(Mandolin) accompanied by Maruti Prasad (Tabla) will transform the Palace Grounds into a cultural oasis, offering not only a visual feast but also a multitude of fusion shows, live musical performances, mesmerizing live painting demonstrations on 15 to 17 Dec from 3.30 to 5.00pm. A standout feature of the event is the enlightening film "The Eternal Canvas – 12,000 Years Journey through Indian Art," a cinematic exploration of India's rich artistic heritage spanning millennia. This cinematic journey provides a sweeping overview of the evolution of Indian art, from prehistoric times to contemporary expressions. It will be screened from 15 to 17 Dec, from 5.30 t0 7.00pm.

Durga Bai Vyam

The Artists Pavilion, with its fresh face and diverse talent, adds a new layer to the India Art Festival experience in the Garden City. With its mammoth collection of art under one roof, IAF serves as a one-stop mega art jamboree for art enthusiasts, providing a unique opportunity to enjoy art without the need to hop around various art spaces in the city.

India Art Festival will run from December 14 to 17, 2023, at Kings Court, Palace Ground, Gate No.5, Bellary Road, Near Mekhri Circle, Bengaluru, from 11 am to 8:00 pm on all days. The tickets for India Art Festival, priced at Rs.299, are available on BookMyShow.com and at the venue, ensuring a captivating cultural experience for art enthusiasts.

For further details, contact 9820737692

Don't miss the chance to immerse yourself in the vibrant world of contemporary art at this year's India Art Festival in the Garden City!

Excerpted from the press release

15 Mar 2023

Art News: Wilderness Escapades by Krish Iyer

Reconnecting with the past

Bangalore based artist Krish Iyer presents his recent suite of paintings that reimagine sculptures of Khajuraho temples, which decades ago, had set him on a path of creative expression. Iyer revisited the site recently, which is located in a densely forested region, rich in natural flora and fauna. In the temple art and architecture with its iconographic symbolism and its philosophical and spiritual moorings, Iyer has found a way to reconnect with the past, and re-envision it in his art, in a contemporary context.

Abstract painting 1 by Krish Iyer, Art Scene India

Painting by Krish Iyer

The large format paintings in ‘Wilderness Escapades’ reference these sculptures and the underlying premises, to create a spatial interplay of light, colour and texture to suggest the form, postures and gestures of the stone statues in a quasi-representational style. The artist’s interpretations are moored around the historicity of the temples, their geography - located as it is amidst forested land and wilderness, with their beauty and splendor remaining undiscovered for centuries. And, their subsequent desecration by invaders, all of which weave an intriguing narrative of mystery and mystique, of magnificence and ruin, of worldwide fame and remoteness. The art and architecture of the Khajuraho temples combined with their religious, cultural and historical significance form an intrinsic part of their allure. Numerous stories, philosophies and other intangibles lie beneath the surface of the stones, creating sagas of seduction, lure and enigma.

Krish’s canvases explore these histories, the abstracted notions of human potential, philosophies of living, corporeality of the flesh and temporality of life. The visual semantics are anchored in formal aesthetics, with defined line drawings marking the canvas, while the abstract expressionist approach at later stages lends critical layers of texture, and simultaneously recontextualizes historical content.

Painting by Krish Iyer

The tactile surface of the works emerges from heavy textures, layers of dripping paint, and several applications of thick acrylic paint using the impasto technique. The palette knife and other tools transform the canvas, to add depth and dimension, to strip off extraneity and to emphasize salient features of the physical form. Transcendence, man and nature (re)union, the cycle of life and rebirth, and joy of living are some of the key principles that are depicted at Khajuraho temples, and it is these that Krish seeks and attempts to portray in his works. The deliberate obliteration of details in the figures, and the structurally accurate forms that replicate their defiled state, are incandescent with the ironies of transience – both natural and as outcomes of anarchist interventions.

Despite the precision of line drawings that form the basis of the works, Iyer’s methodology is essentially non-mimetic. The gradual yet decidedly gestural transformation of the painting surface as a pictorial array of subconscious thoughts and patterns rescinds identifiable characteristics and accentuates the metaphorical import.

After a successful career in commercial art, Krish has returned to painting with this solo exhibition - to pursue subjects and themes that resonate with him. A chance encounter with the Khajuraho temples almost three decades ago, stayed with him through the years and a strange yearning drew him back to them recently. This series originated from the revisit, marked by an innate desire to reconnect with nature, and to allow subconscious thoughts and emotions to surface and transform on canvas. With this exhibition, Krish attempts to break the invisible shackles that have contained his creativity all these years and to realize his inner potential.

Nalini S Malaviya
Art Critic
March, 2023

- Catalogue text

The exhibition 'Wilderness Escapades' continues from March 20-26 at Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath, Bangalore. For further details contact 9900094466. Visit Wilderness Escapades (krishiyer.in)

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Also read,

27 Jan 2026

8 Dec 2025

India Art Festival returns to Bengaluru with its 5th edition

9 Sept 2025

Whispers Between Worlds: iArt Gallery’s New Exhibition Invites Viewers into the Subtle

16 Dec 2024

India Art Festival Bengaluru, December 2024: A Grand Celebration of Art and Culture

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11 Dec 2023

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15 Mar 2023

Reconnecting with the past

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