The lives and roles of cats: Museum of Art and Photography exhibition features feline characters
In this photo essay, we showcase a range of artworks on display at the Museum of Art and Photography.
Launched in 2014, PhotoSparks is a weekly feature from YourStory, with photographs that celebrate the spirit of creativity and innovation. In the earlier 930 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.
For the next four months, the Museum of Art and Photography (MAP) is featuring an intriguing exhibition titled The Many Lives of the Cat. See our earlier writeups on this popular art hub of Bengaluru here.
The new exhibition features paintings, sculptures, textiles, artist sketchbooks, and even matchbox covers. They spotlight what may be regarded as one of the most enigmatic muses in art history — the cat.
Curated by Khushi Bansal, the exhibition draws inspiration from art historian BN Goswamy’s book, The Indian Cat: Stories, Paintings, Poetry, and Proverbs. It delves into feline portrayals by Indian artists across the centuries.
Cats have variously been portrayed as mischievous, whimsical, political and even subversive figures. As shown in this photo essay with miniature paintings and contemporary pop culture, the cat has many literary lives as well.
The cat has been seen through the ages as a muse, metaphor or mirror. Its enduring and endearing presence have multiple layered depictions in visual culture.
In current times, the cat also has emerged as a favourite ‘meme-able’ subject in social media. The MAP exhibits feature materials by artists like Jamini Roy, KG Subramanyan, Chandana Hore, and Bhupendra Baghel – as well as interactive interfaces that enable museum visitors to upload their own images of cats.
As this exhibition on cats is launched, another outstanding exhibition is being closed and replaced: VISIBLE/INVISIBLE: Representation of Women in Art. The exhibition reframed notions of femininity and gender as a social construct through art history, by providing a more inclusive understanding.
Hosted for three years, the exhibits have resonated across audiences—sparking reflection, dialogue and connection. A series of special events was held to honour the exhibition during its closing, including a talk in collaboration with The Rubin Museum, and a performance highlighting the historic tradition of the Hijra community.
Over the years, the exhibition has been accompanied by round table discussions and commissioned research papers. They engaged the audience with multiple viewpoints, and provided the tools and contexts to challenge existing opinions and form new ones.
The exhibition focused on ideas and portrayals of sacrifice, success, struggle, nourishment, aggression, abandonment, desire, and power dynamics. There were around 130 artworks from the tenth century onwards, including sculptures, textiles, posters, paintings, and photographs.
Now what have you done today to pause in your busy schedule and harness your creative side for a better world?
(All photographs taken by Madanmohan Rao on location at the Museum of Art and Photography.)