The Exhibition Overview
The Museum of Art & Photography (MAP) in Bengaluru is on the verge of unveiling its second major permanent exhibition titled “Beneath the Turning Sky.” It plunges right into the interiors of human existence and probes, How do we understand our place in the vast, indifferent, and yet deeply interconnected universe? Scheduled to open on January 17, 2026, and run through December 2, 2029, this exhibition attempts to understand the place of humans in the vast, indifferent, and interconnected universe. The exhibition is en route to the sketching of humanity’s search for meaning. This showcase of art is moving on the line of displaying MAP’s philosophy, i.e., situating art as a medium that connects the diverse historical threads and artistic mediums to coalesce time, space, and human existence.
The exhibition will showcase a vast collection encompassing everything from illustrated manuscripts to modern abstracts and prints on popular culture. The exhibition’s premise is highly ambitious, aiming to trace the evolution of human thought on cosmic subjects. It is a well-researched presentation of “cultural history” that depicts how humans have navigated the world and ultimately shaped their surroundings with conscious choices. The exhibition houses over 60 works, including paintings, photography, textiles, sculpture, and elements of living tradition.
A Cosmic Dialogue: Tracing Humanity’s Place
“Beneath the Turning Sky” is a pensively structured showcase that revolves around three thematic segments. The first segment is “wonder.” It encapsulates the initial, intuitive relationship between humans and the cosmos. It is represented by the primal awe and spiritual inquiry that can be considered as the beginning point of mythology, astrology, and early scientific attempts to understand the “heavens.” This portion distinctively showcases the divergent views of distinctive Indian cultures on how they have historically envisioned the celestial and how “art” served as the foundational language for humans to express themselves.
The second section is “Exploration and Conquest.” It delves into the period of dramatic changes indicated by increasing human intervention in the natural world. This frame is explored through the lens of colonialism, industrialization, and the rise of modern sciences. This segment envisions the transition of humans from being the recipients of the fruits of nature (incurring a sense of reverence) to the desire for mastery and extraction. This transition is labelled in detail through colonial-era photographs, maps, etc. The main agenda for this section is to unfold the human psyche of visualising the Earth as a repository of resources that is to be extracted.
The final section is called “Future, Present.” This segment revolves around contemporary moments. This section aims to address the consequences of the era of exploitation that preceded the present. This resulted in the climate crisis, rapid technical advancements, and a replenishment in the look out for sustainable ways of living. This is the introspective part of the whole exhibition that compels people to realize the wrongs that have been done to harm the planet, and the judicious approach that can be adopted to move towards a better tomorrow. The injustices that have been carried out can not be undone, but they can be diminished or practiced in a less harmful way to save the resources for future generations.
The Artworks
The artworks that are showcased include the seminal works of Indian masters. Visitors will encounter the art of V. S. Gaitonde, whose art invigorates people with a sense of inner consciousness. The ‘Bindu’ philosophy and ‘cosmic gaze’ of S. H. Raza are also phenomenal. Raza is an artist who spent a major part of his existence translating the ancient Indian philosophies of space and form onto his canvas. Artist Arpita Singh is noted for her representations of zodiacal visions on her canvases.
The artworks of these renowned artists will be complemented by the showcasing of manuscript folios from medieval India, alongside traditional textiles, etc. This orientation of representation displays the depth of multidisciplinary research involved in framing this exhibition. The show, curated by Arnika Ahldag, Khushi Bansal, and Priya Chauhan, emphasizes accessibility. They wish to make sure that the MAP becomes a site of interaction and intellectual engagement.
“Beneath The Turning Sky” At a Glance
| Aspects | Details |
|---|---|
| Exhibition Venue & Status | Museum of Art & Photography (MAP), Bengaluru. It is the museum’s second permanent exhibition. |
| Duration | January 17, 2026, to December 2, 2029. |
| Curators | Arnika Ahldag, Khushi Bansal, Priya Chauhan |
| The Three Segments | Wonder; Exploration & Conquest; Future & Present |
| Artistic Scope | Over 60 artworks across paintings, photographs, textiles, sculptures, and manuscripts, all sourced from the MAP Collection. |
| Accessibility | Tactile artworks, audio guides, wheelchair access, and guide dogs allowed |
| Accompanying Publication | Features essays and reflections from noted scholars like Dr. G. N. Devy, Dr. Harini Nagendra, Ira Mukhoty, and Ranjit Hoskote. |
| Interactive Elements | Engagement hub for participatory reflection |
Key Highlights
- The exhibition aggregates artworks from medieval illustrated manuscripts to modern Indian abstractions, demonstrating how different cultures conceptualize the cosmos and human agency.
- Three Thematic Sections:
-
- Wonder evokes the initial human impulse to question existence.
- Exploration & Conquest reflects encounters with the unknown—both physical and intellectual.
- Future & Present draws connections to contemporary technological and societal transformations.
- Wonder evokes the initial human impulse to question existence.
- Works by seminal Indian modernists such as V. S. Gaitonde and S. H. Raza are positioned alongside folk and popular culture artifacts, interweaving visual vocabularies across elite and vernacular modes.
- Unique to this exhibition is an intentional focus on multisensory experiences. Tactile works, audio descriptions, and interactive installations are designed to expand accessibility beyond visual spectatorship.
- Accompanying the exhibition are two publications: a comprehensive catalogue of essays by scholars and cultural thinkers and a children’s edition aimed at fostering early engagement with art.
- The collection spans over a thousand years, incorporating medieval illustrated manuscripts alongside 20th and 21st-century art.
Takeaway
Beneath the Turning Sky is a judiciously crafted exposition that symbolizes a paradigm shift in housing art. This exhibition takes art as a ladder to move up and down the historical timeframe and engages the audience with a methodological framework for intellectual inquiry. Today, the world is dominated by anxieties over issues related to climate change, AI, and global instabilities. This exhibition offers a prelude to the rise of these problems through a systematic arrangement of human quotient and its evolution into an exploitative force throughout the civilizational framework.
What began as an enigma and wonder for humans is now costing lives in the present world. Moreover, the decision to place it as a long-term exhibition is a very critical choice that can play a critical role in sensitizing people towards becoming more accountable for their actions.
View this post on Instagram
The exhibition advocates the cause of humans becoming compassionate partners of nature rather than trying to become masters of its resources. The balance of nature needs to be restored, and that is possible only through collective attempts of humanity. Each minute step taken on an individual level will amalgamate as “greater good” for tomorrow.
By making the exhibition accessible to all, MAP has democratized the concept of building consciousness for people and let them absorb the knowledge to get inspired to be more gentle towards Mother Earth. The museum thus turns into a civic space for critical exchange. This exhibition thus does more than display art; it provokes thought, invites introspection, and challenges audiences to consider art as an enduring instrument of human inquiry. Beneath the Turning Sky models an ambitious and necessary vision for how cultural institutions can contribute meaningfully to public discourse.
