International Museum Day: How the Museum of Art and Photography keeps culture alive and vibrant
In this photo essay from Bengaluru's MAP, we showcase a range of artworks and curatorial practices.
Launched in 2014, PhotoSparks is a weekly feature from YourStory, with photographs that celebrate the spirit of creativity and innovation. In the earlier 870 posts, we featured an art festival, cartoon gallery. world music festival, telecom expo, millets fair, climate change expo, wildlife conference, startup festival, Diwali rangoli, and jazz festival.
On the occasion of International Museum Day, celebrated around the world on May 18, we showcase three ongoing exhibitions from Bengaluru’s Museum of Art and Photography (MAP). See our coverage of earlier events at this popular venue here.
Vaanyerum Vizhuthugal (meaning ‘Roots that Reach for the Sky’ in Tamil) was initially exhibited as part of the Chennai Photo Biennale 2024-2025. Curated by Jaisingh Nageswaran, it showcases the works of 12 lens-based artists of Tamil origin who explore new forms of visual storytelling via photography.
The exhibits examine the diversity of Tamil identity through a range of emotions and narratives. The showcased themes span kinship, desire, loss, and resilience.
The featured artists include Aishwarya Arumbakkam, awardee of the Magnum Foundation Photography and Social Justice Fellowship; Alina Tiphagne, explorer of identity, kinship and queer desire; and award-winning filmmaker Arun Karthick.
Brindha Anantharaman addresses gender issues, mental health and personal narratives. Krithika Sriram delves into identity politics and marginalised cultural narratives. Osheen Siva leverages surrealism, speculative fiction and science fiction.
The second exhibition at MAP features the paper sculptures of artist and writer Ravikumar Kashi. Aptly titled We Don’t End at our Edges, the intriguing artworks blur boundaries of light and shadow, sheets and strips.
Another outstanding exhibition is titled Ticket Tika Chaap and showcases the art of the trademark in the Indo-British textile trade. It includes quirky labels that reflect the practices of branding in 19th and 20th centuries India.
This exhibition is expertly curated by Nathaniel Gaskell and Shrey Maurya. Gaskell is based in Singapore and is the STPI Gallery’s assistant director. Maurya is a writer and researcher based in India, and serves as the MAP Academy's research director.
The chromolithographed labels in the exhibition reveal images of colonial society and perceptions of India. Some of the labels were repurposed as collectors’ items for decoration as well. The printed works shaped consumer behaviour while also capturing the political, social, and artistic shifts of their time.
Portraits of rulers, religious symbols, Indian monuments, daily rituals, and European motifs all reflect varying levels of aspiration and power relationships. Viewers are also drawn into interpretations of industrial production and its long-term implications for local crafts and artisans.
The exhibited textile artworks are part of MAP’s collection of over 100,000 artefacts. Located in the heart of Bengaluru, the museum opened its doors to the public in February 2023.
The first International Museum Day was held in 1977. It is coordinated by the International Council of Museums, and showcases the collective power of museums for the creative development of society.
With a mission to harness the transformative potential of art, ignite creativity, and connect people, the exhibitions in this photo essay show how Bengaluru's MAP makes art accessible and engaging for everyone through innovative experiences.
Now what have you done today to pause in your busy schedule and harness your creative side for a better world?
(All photographs were taken by Madanmohan Rao on location at MAP.)
Edited by Kanishk Singh