As one enters the newly opened Museum of Art and Photography (MAP) in Bengaluru, one is greeted by “Dialogues in Stone”, an installation by the British sculptor Stephen Cox. The five basalt stone sculptures that make up the installation, displayed in MAP’s Subhedar Family Sculpture Courtyard, embody rishis and yoginis through minimalist forms. Equally impressive is the solo show Chirag-e-AI (Artificial Intelligence) by contemporary artist LN Tallur in the Infosys Foundation Gallery. Drawing inspiration partly from the deepalakshmi and kinnara lamps in MAP’s collection, Tallur combines artificial intelligence and ritual belief systems, challenging audiences to question humanity’s growing reliance on technological systems.
As one strolls around, one can see more than 60,000 artworks ranging from classical art to popular culture across the exhibition halls at the museum, housed in a 44,000 sq ft state-of-the-art building in the heart of Bengaluru’s museum quarter. Designed by leading architect Soumitro Ghosh with a special focus on accessibility, the architectural framework of the museum echoes functionality and a sense of openness.
LN Tallur's work / MAP Bengaluru
The spacious building includes art galleries, a 130-seat auditorium, an art and research library that houses extensive research material on Indian art and culture that is freely available to students and researchers, an education centre, and a specialised conservation centre for the protection, maintenance, and upkeep of artwork. There’s also a MAP Shop in the Serendipity Foyer on the museum’s ground floor, a café, and a rooftop restaurant where you can enjoy al fresco dining and drinks with stunning views of the city.
MAP’s enormous collection focuses on modern and contemporary art, paintings, sculptures, and graphics, alongside textiles and indigenous art, and memorabilia of the world-famous Bollywood industry. The photography collection is one of the most varied in India with a particular focus on the period from the mid-19th century, right up to the present day. The idea is to bridge classical and modern traditions in Indian art. Taking the experience beyond just viewing the pieces, the museum intends to inspire people to interact with them.
Brocade skirt wth map of undivided India / MAP Bengaluru
Elaborating his association with art and MAP’s purpose, founder and trustee of MAP Abhishek Poddar said, “As someone who has had the privilege of being surrounded by art all my life, I realised that I must share this experience with others. I was fortunate to have interacted with great doyens in the field of art. Our mission is to take art and culture to the heart of the community, making it accessible to diverse audiences. This is possible by exhibiting, interpreting, and preserving India’s rich artistic heritage. I am sure MAP can reach people, especially the next generation. I believe that the younger generation can bring about change, and eventually be the real curators of MAP.”
The galleries on the third floor of the museum feature “Time and Time Again”, the works of the renowned Indian photographer Jyoti Bhatt. The 160 photographs, as well as contact sheets and archival materials, chart Jyoti Bhatt’s photographic journey during the second half of the 20th century. Curated by Nathaniel Gaskell, the director of MAP Academy, with an accompanying illustrated monograph, the exhibition offers a personal insight into his life and artistic practice. Sculptural commissions by renowned artist and designer Arik Levy, together with works by two of India’s leading contemporary artists, Ayesha Singh and Tarik Currimbhoy, are also on display in the museum.
Jyoti Bhatt / MAP Bengaluru
The galleries on the fourth floor are dedicated to MAP’s permanent show “Visible/ Invisible, Representations of Women in Art through MAP’s Collection”. Through this exhibition, one can explore and contemplate on questions of gender, gender roles, and power dynamics, as visualised through the arts. “This landmark exhibition explores the paradox of how visible women are in Indian art history and yet, how invisible they seem in the public domain. The exhibition addresses the violence of invisibility in public spaces even as images of women continue to be used in multiple ways, and interrogates the representation of women in contemporary times as women artists have begun to provide an alternative narrative,” says Kamini Sawhney, director of MAP. This section features more than 130 works, including those by leading Indian artists like Jamini Roy, MF Hussain, Bhupen Khakhar, Mrinal Mukherjee, Arpita Singh, and Ravinder Reddy.
Another interesting feature is the tactile elements of some artworks curated by artists Gurmeet Singh and Mallika Khaneja, to enable the museum experience to be easy and accessible for visually impaired people. MAP has also created a Living Traditions to assemble the finest contemporary examples of Indian textiles, crafts, and design. The museum experience for MAP’s visitors is augmented with digital interventions, such as the introduction of a three-dimensional display of artwork and holograms of various art pieces displayed in the museum. In addition to this, the Sasken Multimedia Gallery showcases artworks that are not on display in the gallery.
Address: MAP Museum of Art & Photography, Kasturba Road, Bengaluru - 560001
Admission: General admission to MAP is free. Exhibition tickets cost Rs 150. Group booking discounts and concessions are available for people with disabilities, senior citizens, defence personnel, and students.
Timings: Open Tuesday to Friday 10.00 am to 6.30 pm; Saturday to Sunday 10.00 am to 8.00 pm. Closed on Mondays.
Susheela Nair is an independent food, travel, and lifestyle writer and photographer contributing articles, content, and images to several national publications, besides organising seminars and photo exhibitions. Her writings span a wide spectrum which also includes travel portals and guide books, brochures and coffee table books.