Artisera will present “Silent Conversations,” a landmark solo exhibition by acclaimed artist Laxman Aelay, running from November 29, 2025, to January 10, 2026, at its Indiranagar gallery in Bangalore.
The exhibition marks a significant departure from Aelay’s established body of work. Known for vibrant figurative paintings rooted in the indigenous visual culture of rural Telangana, the 60-year-old artist’s newest collection represents a deliberate return to drawing and ink-based work, emphasizing expressionistic impulses and spontaneity over the color-saturated canvases that have defined his decades-long career.
“We are delighted to present Laxman Aelay’s first-ever solo exhibition in the city of Bangalore, with a collection that will surprise and delight the viewer. These new works are so distinct from his earlier creations, that one might not recognise them as coming from the ‘Laxman Aelay’ that people have come to know and love,” said Varun Backliwal, Founder & CEO of Artisera, adding that the timing is particularly significant as the gallery celebrates its 10th anniversary this year.
Six Distinct Series
The exhibition comprises six distinct series, each exploring different themes and mediums:
The Eight Myths consists of hexagonal paintings that reinterpret rural myths and fairy tales through folk-inspired motifs. Murmured Narratives features primarily black-and-white compositions addressing memory, migration, resilience, and human connection through figurative arrangements. Sixty@60, created during the year Aelay turned 60, comprises sixty intimate works in ink and pigment documenting fleeting memories, dreams, and emotional fragments.
The Remembering Souza series pays homage to F.N. Souza through raw depictions of human struggle, while Domesticated Animilia presents toy-inspired animal sculptures reflecting the artist’s playful engagement with childhood and his relationship with his grandchildren. Inked Reflections consists of pen-and-ink animal drawings functioning as metaphors for resilience and coexistence.
Artistic Reclamation
The exhibition’s title reflects the artistic process as an intimate dialogue between the artist and his inner world—a space where influences from art history converge with personal expression. The works reveal modernist influences from artists including F.N. Souza, Diego Rivera, Pablo Picasso, and Arshile Gorky, merged with cubo-expressionistic structures and the spontaneous drawing techniques of Aelay’s early career as an illustrator and designer.
According to Artisera’s exhibition notes, the body of work negotiates a balance between folk and contemporary aesthetics, bridging conventional storytelling with modernist fragmentation. The result presents a visually compelling and politically resonant collection rooted in the artist’s continual reinvention.
Exhibition Details
Title: Silent Conversations
Artist: Laxman Aelay (born 1965)
Dates: November 29, 2025 – January 10, 2026
Venue: Artisera
Address: 3rd Floor, B.K.N. Ambaram Estates, 648/L, 1st Main, Indiranagar Stage 1, Bangalore 560038, Karnataka, India
Cover Image: Voyage of Memory
Athmaja Biju is the Editor at Abir Pothi. She is a Translator and Writer working on Visual Culture.
