At Gallery DTale Archist—Bengaluru’s thriving hub for artistic individuality—the latest exhibition DTale Archist IV unfolds with a vibrant restlessness. Located in the energetic Whitefield suburb, this dynamic space brings together art, design, architecture, and technology in a thoughtfully curated confluence. The gallery’s name itself—DTale Archist—is a clever fusion of “detail” and “architect,” signaling its intent to establish a platform that boldly embraces complexity and collective creativity.
Curated by the prolific Bose Krishnamachari, cofounder of initiatives like the Kochi-Muziris Biennale, DTale Archist offers a more intimate yet equally diverse canvas. Unlike the Biennale that transforms an entire city into a porous museum, this exhibition cultivates a space of amiable juxtaposition—where distinct artistic expressions seamlessly bleed into one another, while retaining each creator’s unmistakable sense of self.
This exhibition feels less like a collection and more like a dialogue—between media, materials, and minds. Works shift from one emotional and thematic register to another, encouraging viewers to drift fluidly through this narrative maze. Still, it is the clarity of personal voice within each work that elevates the show above the growing tide of commercial art spaces across India.
Among the most compelling works on display is Rajeev Thakker’s. His black-and-white photographic montages, overlaid with delicate linework, float on panels that invite dimensional engagement. At the core lies a search for utopia—through platonic shapes and architectural familiarity—that interrogates the intersection of the abstract and the practical.
Hima Hariharan’s watercolours transport viewers to the aesthetic realm of 18th-century botanical illustrations. Yet, the familiar morphs into the surreal as cats scowl at mischievous crabs and hybrid fauna interact with peculiar tenderness. The hidden narratives in these works freeze motion, even when meaning is elusive.
Avinash Veeraraghavan’s dizzying collage of colour and pattern captures the tension between chaos and clarity. The layered composition reflects the fragmented struggles of the creative mind. “Can rest be found in discomfort?” his work seems to murmur, drawing viewers into a contemplative trance.
Benitha Perciyal’s pieces harness organic materials like incense, seeds, and leaves to form deeply textured emotional landscapes. Her art does not shy away from vulnerability. Instead, it holds sorrow gently, offering it as fertile ground for growth and reflection.
Saviya Lopes explores the theme of women’s labour, weaving memory and resistance into gossamer silks. Her work speaks in whispers—through gestures, words, and textures—echoing the uncelebrated resilience embedded in the everyday. In contrast, Shazia Nabeel’s circular portraits are intimate, bathed in soft hues and existential curiosity. Her figures seem suspended in thought, inviting viewers to eavesdrop on their solitude.
Siri Devi Khandavilli plays with mirrors—both literal and philosophical—to blur the line between subject and spectator. Her reflective surfaces hint at unpredictability, echoing the viewer’s own shifting perceptions. Each gaze upon the work reinvents its meaning, as though the canvas itself is sentient.
In Smitha M Babu’s world, objects are not props but protagonists. Trees whisper secrets, and animals participate in rituals that blur the line between folklore and morality. Her canvases stretch toward myth while rooting viewers in ecological and spiritual unity.
Vishal K Dar’s towering installations defy linear understanding. Drawing from Hindu cosmology and elemental forces, one piece—a vertical altar tucked into a corner—exudes reverence, pulling even the most indifferent observer into a moment of reflection.DTale Archist IV carries the energy of its previous iterations, while imprinting fresh perspectives onto the present. In embracing such a wide spectrum of thought and technique, the gallery becomes more than just an exhibition space—it transforms into a forum for provocation, discovery, and emotional immersion. Here, the viewer is not a passive onlooker but an engaged participant in the unfolding story of contemporary art.
