Apparao Galleries in Chennai has opened its first-floor space in Nungambakkam to a chronically rich exploration of the mindscape with the solo exhibition, “The Terrain Between Dreams in the Understory.” It features the recent works of the Kolkata-based artist, Eleena Banik, and is running from 14–31 October 2025, open Tuesday to Saturday, 3:00 pm–6:30 pm. The collection invites the public to channelize their conscience through a layered landscape where distinctions between nature, memory, perception, and the subconscious fluidly disappear. Eleena Banik is well known for her expressionistic style and strong engagement with socio-cultural themes, particularly those related to a more feminine self.
A Dialogue with Subconsciousness
Her canvases on view are one long-running continuation of human figures entangled with mythic motifs. This is a kind of visual language that Eleena has developed over decades of exhibiting and collecting work into public and private collections. The artistic tendencies revealed by her paintings situate her artworks somewhere between figurative narratives and lyrical abstraction. Viewers ought to find nature as a recurring motif in her paintings, which deliberately slips into abstraction.
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The depictions of figures and fragments surface, etc., hint at personal narratives, mythic forms, and the complex inner life of the artist. They are not painted as defined characters, but are projections of echoes of different thoughts and feelings, making her work more emotionally intimate and connecting to the viewers. The way Eleena uses colour in her paintings points towards the definitiveness of the emotional architecture of her work. The pigments are often vibrant yet tempered, signifying the frequent and tumultuous shifts of the mind itself. Through her unique visual language, she possesses the capacity to turn a simple canvas into a mirror that reflects universal struggle and a quest for harmony amidst all sorts of “external dilemma” of the present world.
The Artist
The exhibition’s careful curation serves as a testament to Eleena Banik’s maturity as an artist, exposing her fearless exploration of the niche of art. Hitherto, she has been shown both in curated group exhibitions as well as solo projects. Her work is represented in many online catalogues that map an evolving display of colour, pattern, and the body itself as a landscape.
| Event | Detail |
|---|---|
| Exhibition Title | The Terrain Between Dreams in the Understory |
| Artist | Eleena Banik |
| Venue | Apparao Galleries, No. 7, Wallace Gardens 3rd Street, Nungambakkam, Chennai |
| Dates | 14 – 31 October 2025 |
| Viewing Hours | Tuesday – Saturday, 3:00 PM – 6:30 PM |
| Key Themes | Abstraction, Subconscious, Memory, Nature, Mythic Resonance |
Key highlights
- A tightly curated solo presentation focused on Banik’s recent paintings and new explorations of subconscious terrains.
- Work characterized by layered surfaces, saturated palettes, and shifting figuration that dissolves into botanical and mythic motifs.
- Included in city-wide October exhibition roundups, indicating local critical visibility.
- Accessible location in Nungambakkam with clear visiting hours and gallery contact information.
What to Expect
Pay attention to Eleena’s way of representing negative spaces, as they are often charged; they transform into a character in their own right. Note repetitive gestures such as hands clasping foliage, repeated profile motifs, and small, trompe-l’oeil objects, which complicate the painting’s scale and make the points of perception dynamic.
Takeaway
Today’s world is cluttered with digital imagery and hyper-realistic images. Amidst all these, Eleena Banik’s paintings offer a catalytic counterweight; they offer an argument that is often unspoken. Her canvases are not for projecting answers, but to raise questions, compelling us to think and re-think about the ‘understory’ of our own minds. For a city like Chennai, this exhibition is a great opportunity to witness an artist at the peak of her abstract exploration.
Her paintings remind us of the value of deepening a visual language over time. It challenges the viewer not just to look, but to feel, to dream, and to engage in the deeply personal process of piecing together the fragments of what lies just beyond the veil of consciousness.
