Art for a cause: Bhoomi exhibition highlights creativity for nature and social impact
In this photo essay, we showcase the ‘Bhoomi’ exhibition at Venkatappa Art Gallery, along with curator insights.
Launched in 2014, PhotoSparks is a weekly feature from YourStory, with photographs that celebrate the spirit of creativity and innovation. In the earlier 1,010 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.
This month, the Venkatappa and Swasti art galleries in Bengaluru are jointly hosting a group exhibition titled Bhoomi. See our coverage of earlier exhibitions at Venkatappa Art Gallery here.
“The exhibition celebrates humanity's enduring relationship with nature while promoting a humanitarian cause,” curator Bhagya Ajaikumar tells YourStory.
She is the Founder of Swasti Contemporary Art Gallery and Visiting Faculty at Bangalore University. The exhibition is co-curated with Pradeep Kumar DM, and features works by around 40 eminent artists and art educators,
The Bhoomi exhibition artists are from across Karnataka. They include faculty members from Bangalore University and Chamarajendra Academy of Visual Arts (CAVA), Mysuru.
As show in this photo essay, the artworks span paintings, sculptures, mixed media pieces, and unique site-specific installations. Each offers a distinctive interpretation of the exhibition's central theme.
Art about nature is especially important in this day and age because our relationship with the natural world is changing faster than ever. Climate change, deforestation, pollution, and the loss of wildlife are affecting ecosystems across the planet.
Nature-inspired art gives us a way to slow down, notice the world around us, and remember how closely our lives are connected to the environment. Facts and statistics about climate change can be important, but a painting of a disappearing forest, a photograph of a polluted river, or a sculpture made from discarded materials can communicate an environmental message in a deeply emotional way.
The exhibitor lineup includes SG Vasudev, Aishwaryan K, Akshay Bhat, Alka Chavda, Arpita Koti, Chethan Kumar Hallihole, Gururaj S Naik, Kiran Athma, Manoj Megalamani, Manushya, and Marishamachar.
Other featured artists are Sangeetha M, Shivakumar Kankanwadi, Uday D Jain, Urmila VG, Venugopala HS, Vijay Hagargundagi, Vijay Kumar CS, Vinay HS, Vinyas Katenahalli, and Yogananda L.
“Apart from celebrating artistic excellence, the exhibition also carries a strong social message. A portion of the proceeds from artwork sales will be shared between the participating artists and the HCG Foundation to support financial assistance for needy cancer patients,” Ajaikumar adds.
This initiative reinforces the foundation's commitment to improving access to quality cancer care. It offers patient support, early detection, awareness campaigns, and community outreach.
Featured artist SG Vasudev is a renowned contemporary painter and printmaker. A graduate of the Government College of Arts and Crafts, Chennai, he became associated with the influential Cholamandal Artists' Village, where he helped shape the trajectory of modern Indian art.
His works are themed on nature, mythology, music, and human relationships. His paintings, murals, prints, and sculptures have been exhibited internationally and are held in numerous public and private collections.
Aishwaryan K is a Bengaluru-based contemporary artist whose multidisciplinary practice spans painting, printmaking, installation, and conceptual art. A graduate of the KEN School of Art with a post-diploma in printmaking from Bangalore University, he has received the Karnataka Lalit Kala Akademi State Award and numerous fellowships.
Arpita Koti is an emerging Indian artist whose creative practice explores themes of identity, culture, and lived experience through painting and mixed media. Drawing from regional traditions while embracing contemporary visual languages, her art demonstrates a balance between technical discipline and intuitive creativity.
Meenakshi Chinna Rathod’s work reflects a sensitive engagement with themes of identity, gender and cultural belonging. She offers nuanced reflections on resilience, transformation and the role of women within changing social contexts.
Ranganath Amrad is a contemporary painter whose work is inspired by rural life, local traditions, and the changing social landscape of India. Rather than documenting reality directly, Amrad creates evocative interpretations that celebrate cultural continuity.
Chethan Kumar Hallihole explores the relationship between landscape, community and identity, employing expressive brushwork and nuanced colour harmonies. Gururaj S Naik reflects the influence of Karnataka's cultural landscape while engaging with broader social concerns.
Kiran Athma is a contemporary Indian artist whose multidisciplinary practice encompasses painting, installation and conceptual exploration. Krishnachari draws inspiration from everyday life, mythology and regional traditions.
“The exhibition invites visitors to reflect on Earth not merely as a physical landscape but as the source of life, culture and creativity. By combining artistic expression with philanthropy, Bhoomi seeks to inspire environmental consciousness while demonstrating how art can contribute to meaningful social change,” she affirms.
HCG Foundation helps ensure that underprivileged patients have access to high-quality cancer treatment. Swasti is the creative care unit located within HCG’s headquarters in Bengaluru.
Its gallery was launched in 2007 to promote art and raise funds for the HCG Foundation to support cancer patients. Since 2018, Swasti has also conducted art therapy events for cancer patients and their family members.
Art for a cause can make such social problems feel personal rather than distant. Furthermore, when people develop an emotional connection with a cause, they may be more likely to care about it and contribute for betterment.
Nature as a theme has also been an important subject for artists throughout history. It has inspired countless paintings, poems, photographs, and other forms of creative expression.
Art about nature can encourage people to see beauty in places they might normally ignore. It reminds us that nature is not only found in remote forests or national parks, but also around us and even in busy towns and cities.
Most importantly, nature-inspired art can encourage reflection and action. It asks us to consider what kind of world we want to leave for future generations. It can celebrate the natural world, express grief for what is being lost, and imagine a more sustainable future.
Art reminds us that nature is not simply something outside of us. Nature is part of our lives and our identity.
“Whether you are an art enthusiast, collector or simply looking for an inspiring cultural experience, Bhoomi offers a meaningful journey through creativity and conversation,” Ajaikumar signs off.
Now what have you done today to pause in your busy schedule and harness your creative side for a better world?
Bhagya Ajaikumar
(All photographs taken by Madanmohan Rao on location at Venkatappa Art Gallery.)