‘Bengaluru Nouveauism: An aspect of looking into art through contemporary consciousness’-a presentation of Studio Kalavistaara- unfolds as a quiet yet enthralling confluence of five artists; each rooted in a distinctly different genre, yet bound by a shared urge to articulate their personal visual language. The exhibition does not seek to homogenize their voices; instead, it celebrates divergence. Drawings, acrylics, mixed media paintings, installations, and assemblages of intimate, small-scale works come together like fragments of five separate diaries placed side by side- each page revealing a different rhythm of thought, memory and perception.
What becomes most striking is how, through conversation with each artist, one steps into their individual worlds of creation. Their practices reveal an instinctive departure from convention- an unconscious yet firm resistance to prescribed outlooks. The exhibition breathes with stylistic plurality- moving fluidly between the tactile, the minimal, the organic and the structural revealing personal introspection rather than rigid schools of style. There is no hesitation in their expression; rather, there is a quiet confidence in presenting ideas as they emerge- raw, reflective and deeply personal.
AM Prakash’s installation of shirts hung in quiet suspension introduces a conceptual yet accessible visual language. The work sits between installation and social sculpture, echoing elements of participatory art while remaining contemplative. The patterned shirts, arranged almost like silent bodies, suggest identity as something layered, performative and interchangeable. Stylistically, his approach leans toward conceptual minimalism—objects are ordinary, yet their arrangement transforms them into metaphors.
The varied patterns and textures evoke the multiplicity of the human psyche- layers of personality, mood and social roles one chooses to wear. The viewer is invited to “pick” an identity, mirroring how individuals curate their outward selves. His drawings, in contrast, are intimate and contemplative. Through overlapping translucent sheets, the lines create subtle gradations of darkness, suggesting depth not through heavy strokes but through the quiet accumulation of transparency- an exploration of presence and absence, of what is seen and what is withheld. The style is subtle, almost meditative and reminiscent of process- based drawing where the act of layering becomes as important as the final image.
In V Hariraam’s works flat planes of colour are charged with philosophical undertones. They occupy a space between abstraction and spiritual symbolism. His abstractions, born in the solitude of the Covid lockdown, carry within them the stillness of confinement and the intensity of inward reflection. The small circular compositions, rendered in bold and minimal colour fields, resemble meditative orbs- each one self-contained yet vibrating with inner energy. The repetitive circularity suggests a contemplative rhythm rather than purely formal exploration.
There is a spiritual undercurrent in these works, a sense of consciousness circling itself. The inclusion of mirrors and dice along with small paintings in his installation introduces a metaphorical dimension: reflections and chance, a conceptual narrative within an otherwise minimal visual vocabulary, bridging abstraction with social commentary. These elements subtly allude to the games humanity plays—of power, strategy and survival- echoing the anxieties and uncertainties of contemporary global conflict.
With GSB Agnihothri, the exhibition shifts towards organic dynamism. His recent series of mushroom forms signals a transition in his stylistic journey embracing a more biomorphic abstraction. The large canvases are alive with spiralling patterns and constellations of dots, as if the surface itself is in motion.
The mushrooms emerge not merely as botanical forms but as symbols of regeneration and hidden life, quietly sprouting from the layered, pulsating background. Nature here is not static; it breathes, expands and mutates- suggesting an artist exploring new terrain while remaining anchored in his fascination with growth and transformation.
In contrast, HS Venugopala’s pen-and-ink drawings return the viewer to the tactile solidity of the earth, through a disciplined and observational aesthetic. His rock series captures the rugged crevices and silent endurance of stone through precise linear articulation, a strong grounding in draftsmanship, where line becomes the primary tool for sculpting form.
The lines are sharp yet sensitive, mapping the hardness and age of the rocks while simultaneously revealing their quiet poetry. His style emphasizes the timeless language of line, where the absence of colour allows structure, shadow, and surface to speak with clarity and authority.
In the sculptures of Venkatachalapathi, hands emerge as the quiet yet powerful protagonists, carrying within them a language more eloquent than words. Cast in brass, these hands are not merely anatomical forms but vessels of gesture and intention. At times they clasp a stick, a journey undertaken; at others they rest gently upon a book, evoking contemplation, learning, and the silent intimacy between thought and touch.
In another work, the hands cradle a bowl, transforming the simple act of holding into a symbol of offering, nourishment and humility. One of his sculptures reflects the quiet miracle of germination- the moment when life stirs beneath the surface, unseen yet inevitable. The textures and forms seem to breathe, tender shoots unfurling and the cyclical rhythm of growth. His sculptures do not impose narratives; instead, they allow the viewer to sense them in the weight of metal, in the stillness of a resting palm and in the subtle suggestion of life emerging from within.
Diverse Echoes, Distinct Sensibilities
What makes Bengaluru Nouveau compelling is not only the diversity of media but the coexistence of multiple art echoes- conceptual installation, minimal abstraction, organic expressionism and classical draftsmanship- all within a single space. Each artist navigates their own vocabulary and with their varied approaches, they gently dismantle conventional expectations of form and narrative, presenting instead an art that is instinctive, reflective and unafraid to exist on its own terms. The viewer leaves not with a single cohesive story, but with five distinct sensibilities lingering in the mind- each one inviting further contemplation.
The show runs between 20th and 29th March 2026 at Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath, Bangalore, inviting viewers into its creative space.
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.
