Devipriya P, an introverted artist who has largely stayed in the background, letting her work speak quietly for itself, stepped into the foreground with Unseen Impressions, her solo exhibition of prints and paintings at Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath in Bengaluru. The exhibition offered a glimpse into Devipriya’s inner world, unfolding through a series of mixed-media canvases in which monoprints on rice paper are collaged onto the surface and further worked upon with pens, pastels and acrylics. The process moves beyond the boundaries of printmaking, allowing the printed image to evolve through the intervention of colour, gesture and the artist’s own intuitive responses.
Animals occupy a central place in these works, emerging not merely as subjects of representation but as personal metaphors through which the artist reflects upon human nature, her own temperament and the complexities of everyday existence. The owl, snail, chameleon, frog, lady bug, cat and fish inhabit a symbolic world that is intimate yet open to interpretation, each carrying a thought, a disposition or an aspect of life that resonates with the artist.
A closer look at Devipriya’s Art
For Devipriya, the cat becomes a reflection of the human mentality, with its shifting moods, instincts and inherent contradictions. The owl embodies a quietude she finds herself seeking- a stillness that remains elusive against her naturally anxious and restless disposition. The frog, capable of inhabiting both water and land and adjusting to varying temperatures, becomes an emblem of adaptability and flexibility, of learning to accommodate oneself to changing circumstances.
The chameleon extends this idea of adaptation, bringing with it the complexity of changing one’s colours in response to the surrounding environment. It suggests the many ways in which people adjust their behaviour and appearance to fit into different situations, sometimes as a means of survival, sometimes for acceptance, and sometimes to protect an inner self that remains concealed from the world. Its presence raises an implicit question: in adapting to the surroundings, how much of oneself does one reveal, and how much does one learns to disguise?
The snail carries a particularly poignant association. Bearing its home upon its back, it evokes for the artist the condition of a woman who carries her responsibilities within her, even in solitude or when physically removed from her family. Home, in this sense, becomes more than a physical space; it is an enduring presence, a weight and an attachment that travels with her.
The Animal motifs
The fish, too, assumes varied meanings. The larger fish alludes to visionaries whose ideas and influence continue to shape our understanding, whether for good or ill, long after their own time has passed. In contrast, the smaller fish enclosed within a barrel suggests the need for protection, while also hinting at the gradual process of learning to survive and negotiate one’s place in the world. The lady bug speaks of quiet importance of every being, however small, each contributing in its own subtle way, to the larger complexity and harmony of life.
The earthen pitchers hold an assortment of leaves, each distinct in its form and character, symbolising the diverse temperaments and dispositions that shape human existence. Though different in nature, we inhabit a shared space, learning to coexist, accommodate one another, and navigate the complexities of our differences. While some remain apart, others find common ground, their affinities drawing them closer. The red threads, stitching the pitchers together, become allegories for these bonds- delicate yet enduring ties that bind certain lives, weaving connections amid diversity. Together, they reflect the delicate interplay of individuality, coexistence, adjustment and belonging that defines the human experience.
On Calligraphy
Calligraphy enters the compositions as an additional visual element, enriching the surfaces while reinforcing the larger idea of impressions- those that are made, received and retained. Its presence lends another layer to the dialogue between image and meaning, between what is visibly expressed and what remains inwardly felt. What distinguishes these direct and centrally composed works is the artist’s experimental approach to printmaking. Rather than allowing the monoprint to remain an autonomous image, Devipriya treats it as a point of departure, revisiting and overworking the printed surface with painting. Rice paper, print, pastel and acrylic come together in an exploratory process where the boundaries between mediums begin to dissolve. The resulting canvases retain the immediacy of the printed impression while acquiring new textures, colours and associations through subsequent interventions.
The canvases are divided into multiple sections, bringing together collages of leaves, organic strokes drawn from nature, calligraphic expressions, and superimposed elements rich in symbol. These varied fragments come together like pages from a journal, each carrying traces of lived experiences, fleeting impressions and the artist’s sensitivity towards the world around her. The compositions unfold in an intuitive manner, where natural forms intermingle with written gestures and symbolic imagery, creating layers of meaning without adhering to a linear narrative.
There is a sense of collecting and preserving moments, as though memories, observations, and emotions have gradually found their way onto the canvas. The juxtaposition of these elements lends the works certain spontaneity, while the interplay of textures, marks and imagery reveals a thoughtful engagement with aesthetics. Much like a journal that records not merely events but also the thoughts and feelings they evoke, the canvases become repositories of experience, reflecting the artist’s evolving perceptions and her inclination to find beauty and meaning in the fragments of everyday life.
Quietly personal in their origins, these works reveal how familiar creatures can become vessels for intimate reflections. Through her layered surfaces and symbolic imagery, Devipriya transforms the language of printmaking into a more personal and contemplative expression, where the act of making an impression extends beyond the material surface to encompass the impressions life leaves upon the self.
The inauguration of the exhibition, presented under the banner of DheRa Art Studio, was graced by the presence of distinguished guests: Pa Sa Kumar, President of Karnataka Lalithakala Akademi, Bengaluru; Prof. Satyaprakash Varanashi, eco-architect, urban designer, and heritage conservationist; and K. N. Siddiqui, Director of News Trail, an English daily. The exhibition is on view from 9th to 16th October 2026.
All images courtesy of the author
Alka is an artist and art writer with a diverse career spanning teaching, e-learning projects with the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), and editorial work. An alum of the Government College of Art, Chandigarh (BFA) and Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi (MFA, PhD), she has been recognised with numerous prestigious awards and honours.
