Online-only art gallery Artisera opens doors to its first physical space in Bengaluru

As the year comes to an end, we, at Indulge, can unanimously vouch for the fact that 2024 has seen Bengaluru grow leaps and bounds in the landscape of arts – from successful solo art exhibits of eminent but almost-forgotten artists to the launch of new galleries. Adding yet another feather to the cap, art gallery Artisera recently unveiled its first physical space in the city. Founded by Lisa Jain and Varun Backliwal as an online-only gallery in 2015, Artisera’s physical space aims towards increasing access to quality art in Bengaluru. 

The inaugural exhibition at the gallery, titled A Realm of Possibilities, celebrates Artisera’s nine-year journey since inception, by works from 34 artists. This includes acclaimed names such as G Subramanian, Gurudas Shenoy, KR Santhana Krishnan, Laxman Aelay and Sachin Jaltare, as well as senior artists whose art the city might not have seen before, such as Ashok Bhowmick, Shampa Sircar Das, Vinita Karim and Viveek Sharma. Emerging contemporary artists like Ashu Gupta, Bhuwal Prasad, Dushyant Pate, Nikheel Aphale, Rakhee Shenoy and Smruthi Gargi Eswar, are also part of the exhibition. To understand the creative processes that went behind in putting the launch together, we talk to co-founder Lisa Jain. Excerpts: 

What inspired you to create a physical gallery space in Bengaluru? 

In 2019, we opened a small experience centre to complement our digital presence, but we were still an online-first gallery. We occasionally held physical exhibitions at art fairs or cultural centres, in Bengaluru and other cities. In the last nine years, Artisera has created a loyal client base spread out in more than 200 cities around the world. Opening a gallery space was only the next logical step in our journey. While we will continue to have a very strong online presence, the gallery will enable us to showcase interesting exhibitions to the audience in the city, who we believe are becoming more and more interested in art. The physical gallery space will also allow us to create a more immersive experience for our clients and patrons, both in person as well as online. 

How would you describe the basic curatorial philosophy of Artisera? 

Our curation philosophy is simple. If a piece does not connect with our founders at a personal level, we don’t showcase it on Artisera. If it’s not good enough to be in our own homes, it’s not good enough to be showcased by us. Because we started as an online-only gallery, we have never limited ourselves to showcasing only one style of art. Most homes are a blend of contemporary and traditional, which is also a reflection of the diversity that Indian art has to offer. We showcase contemporary Indian art—be it painting, sculpture, photography or digital art—by over 60 artists from across India, across different stages of their career. We also have a huge focus on promoting traditional Indian art forms that need more recognition, such as pichwai paintings from Rajasthan and lost wax bronze sculptures from Southern India.

What difference can we expect Artisera to add to the city’s already bustling art scene? 

While most galleries focus on a specific style of art, we will consciously bring diversity through our programming. We will also have a huge focus on showcasing art by lesser-known emerging artists from across the country, whose work might not be known in Bengaluru, introducing fresh ideas and concepts to the city’s vibrant art scene and making art more accessible. 

Tell us about your inaugural show for the gallery space, A Realm of Possibilities. 

A Realm of Possibilities is a celebration of our journey thus far, as well as anticipation for the possibilities that lie ahead for the gallery and for our artists, on their own artistic journeys. We’re showcasing works by 34 artists across sculpture, painting and mixed media work in this exhibition. The works that the artists have created for this exhibition, reflect their own evolution over the years, on a journey we have taken together through the last nine years. We have also introduced four new artists to our family, as well as to Bengaluru, through this exhibition. In the future, we intend to continue showing works by artists who are new to this city’s art scene.

Entry free. On till December 20, 11 am onwards. At Artisera, Indiranagar.

X: @MallikPrattusa

Email: prattusa@newindianexpress.com