What truly makes ABC unique is the experience it provides for its community. Live chat, impromptu caricatures, artist-led tours, and unplanned conversations turned BIC into a living, breathing art museum.
Published Jun 07, 2025 | 10:15 AM ⚊ Updated Jun 07, 2025 | 10:15 AM
A work exhibited at the Art Bengaluru Collective.
Synopsis: A vibrant showcase of artistic diversity and community spirit, ABC 7.0 brought together over 250 artworks at BIC, Bengaluru. From oil to multimedia, the collective celebrated expression, connection, and evolution.
The Art Bengaluru Collective (ABC) marked a creative milestone with the seventh edition of its multi-genre presentation, ABC 7.0.
Held for the first time at the Bangalore International Centre (BIC) in Domlur, the event saw 25 artists and over 250 artworks, highlighting a stunning diversity of expressions—ranging from traditional to interactive multimedia installations.
Started in 2022 by journalist-artist Rasheed Kappan and painter-theatre individual Ranji David, ABC took its first breath with a vision to democritise art, giving rookie and mid-list artists and big shots a reasonably priced outlet to interact with an appreciative audience.
Six profitable editions—largely at the Rangoli Metro Art Centre and once at Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath—behind it, ABC 7.0 promises a new path. The addition of digital projections and the reinstatement of the photography department are signs of the collective’s larger aspirations.
“It has been a way of building a community,” said Kappan. “ABC 7.0 at BIC is allowing that vision an opportunity to thrive in a new space—one that fosters collaboration, dialogue, and friendship.”
For co-founder David, the show’s strength lies in its diversity: “You’ll see oil paintings next to digital illustrations, graphite next to mixed media. And all these expressions come from artists of different backgrounds and journeys. That’s the beauty of it.”
Highlights of ABC 7.0 voices include Romy Ravindran, whose passionately reflective work explores the intricate human condition—politics, relationships, nature, and the shape of existence. One of her works on display, constructed from a box of an old Amazon package, evoked visceral interest for its poignant observation of migrant life and disposability.
ABC continues to redefine what a collective can be in the fast-paced, changing art landscape of India.
“I try to speak in things—sometimes things that have been rejected as useless,” said Romy. “This work was thought up because migrant lives, wherever they are in the world, are often treated as disposable. Working with a box meant for the trash seemed appropriate.”
This is Ravindran’s third ABC show, and she said that the platform has revolutionised her career. “ABC gives you room to evolve—not just as an artist, but as a human. You listen to other people, and that interaction makes you evolve.”
Originating in UAE art culture and vocational education at JJ School of Art (specialisation in textiles), Ravindran defined her painting as a path of self-awareness. It’s forgiving, it speaks through layers. Oil to me is a place where errors become part of the story,” said Ravindran.
ABC 7.0 also introduced the first works of Dr L Shobha Krupa, a paediatrician-artist whose bold acrylics and understated watercolours reflect her interests in nature, human emotion, and history.
Art lovers at the exhibition.
Allured by the skies, ruins, and landscapes of Wayanad, Badami, and Pattadakallu, her works bridge science and divinity.
“Nature is my first canvas,” she said. “The sky, the clouds—that’s God’s creation. I try to capture that in mine.”
Even though she has been painting since childhood and artists run in her family, it wasn’t until recently that she had the time to focus more on painting.
“Watercolour is beautiful but ruthless. One slip-up and it’s over. But if you make it, it’s enchantment,” she said.
What drew her to ABC? “The people,” she smiled. “Organisers, fellow artists, even the viewers—all were genuinely interested in the art. You don’t always feel that level of connection.”
To new artists, her counsel is direct: “Practice. Paint or music, repetition bridges talent and expression.”
Guest artist Anindita Bhattacharyya has also built a reputation as a self-taught artist with a lasting love for nature’s colours and the interplay of light and shadow. Working with charcoal, acrylic, watercolor, and pastels, Anindita’s talent is consistently honed through plein-air workshops and advice from master artists.
Though reserved in person, her paintings exude confidence and sensitivity. Viewers are drawn to the subtle strength of her brushwork and the stories they imply rather than tell.
“ABC 7.0 has been special,” she said. “It’s not a show. It’s a shared space. You learn not only by showing but by seeing and talking.”
What truly makes ABC unique is the experience it provides for its community. Live chat, impromptu caricatures, artist-led tours, and unplanned conversations turned BIC into a living, breathing art museum.
“It’s not really about showcasing. It’s about sharing,” said Kappan. “We want art to move—from canvas to conversation to change.”
With over 250 artists now on its expanded roster, ABC continues to redefine what a collective can be in the fast-paced, changing art landscape of India. ABC 7.0, like its relatives, doesn’t just leave behind art—it leaves a resonance.
As Ravindran aptly put it: “You may leave with a new vision. That’s what art is supposed to do. That’s what ABC does.”
(Edited by Majnu Babu).
