<p>With Bengaluru’s skyline getting dotted by an increasing number of skyscrapers and its roads stretching endlessly to form concrete jungles, catching a glimpse of the city’s older, greener side almost feels like stumbling onto a secret. But in several quieter corners of the city, one can still see lush pockets of greenery — pleasant surprises in the form of creepers threading through railings, terrace gardens perched in quiet grandeur above the humdrum, and massive trees holding their ground between buildings.</p>.<p>At the ‘Pockets of Resistance’ exhibition being held at the Venkatappa Art Gallery, artist Kapila Nahender turns her gaze to these green echoes of a simpler past, gently urging viewers to slow down even as the world moves at a break-neck speed. Through 17 paintings and two soft-painted sculptures, Kapila pays tribute to the once-famed Garden City by not only making it a subject of her show but also an active collaborator.</p><p>“In entirety, the city has always been home to me. Its speciality lies in the seasonal flowers in bloom, the trees shedding their leaves making dusty piles, the smell of rain and the wet earth, the glistening streets after a drizzle, the dense clouds, the fallen leaves on windscreens of cars, puddles and the cement dust that covers it all,” she reflects.</p>.<p>These sensory snapshots — wet earth, cement dust, fallen leaves — become the building blocks of her works in the series. Rather than depicting nature as static or decorative, she allows her forms to shift and evolve across the canvas with different layers of paint drying at different times. “This way, I was able to reflect and execute with deliberation,” she notes.</p>.<p>Working on several pieces at once, she ensured that each work is connected to the other rather than standing alone, a cohesive bond that forms the backbone of the show. She resisted isolating the pieces, explaining that “to pick key works doesn’t arise as they all interlock with each other.” That said, she felt that ‘Urban Garden 14’, a large piece and the soft-painted sculptures ‘Urban Garden 18 and 19’ pushed the boundaries of her practice, expanding both scale and form within the series.</p>.<p>Oil paint has been Kapila’s medium for nearly 30 years. She loves how its layers build up slowly, letting her reflect as she works and giving her a chance to pause when everyone else is rushing. “The answers come gradually, and the shapes and forms evolve on their own. Taking time to see them emerging through the paint is a fascinating revelation for me,” she expresses. One could see that in her paintings — the shapes hovered between something familiar and something abstract, shifting with each glance.</p>.<p>For ‘Pockets of Resistance’, Kapila didn’t stick to just oil paints. She brought in natural pigments from soil, plant dyes, pressed flowers, twigs, seeds, and dried leaves. These were part of a larger question on sustainability, both in the materials and the longevity of art itself. Installed in Gallery 2, many of the works are suspended to encourage viewers to engage with them from multiple distances so that they can discover new emerging forms. The soft sculptures, meanwhile, are positioned to be viewed from all angles, inviting movement and interaction. There is, she adds, a deliberate attempt to retain an element of surprise for visitors. While the show is anchored in Bengaluru’s landscape, its themes go way beyond geography. ‘Pockets of Resistance’ speaks to a broader idea of endurance —environmental as well as personal. The works suggest that even within rigid systems, organic and sustainable growth cannot be boxed in.</p>.<p>The exhibition ends today.</p>
<p>With Bengaluru’s skyline getting dotted by an increasing number of skyscrapers and its roads stretching endlessly to form concrete jungles, catching a glimpse of the city’s older, greener side almost feels like stumbling onto a secret. But in several quieter corners of the city, one can still see lush pockets of greenery — pleasant surprises in the form of creepers threading through railings, terrace gardens perched in quiet grandeur above the humdrum, and massive trees holding their ground between buildings.</p>.<p>At the ‘Pockets of Resistance’ exhibition being held at the Venkatappa Art Gallery, artist Kapila Nahender turns her gaze to these green echoes of a simpler past, gently urging viewers to slow down even as the world moves at a break-neck speed. Through 17 paintings and two soft-painted sculptures, Kapila pays tribute to the once-famed Garden City by not only making it a subject of her show but also an active collaborator.</p><p>“In entirety, the city has always been home to me. Its speciality lies in the seasonal flowers in bloom, the trees shedding their leaves making dusty piles, the smell of rain and the wet earth, the glistening streets after a drizzle, the dense clouds, the fallen leaves on windscreens of cars, puddles and the cement dust that covers it all,” she reflects.</p>.<p>These sensory snapshots — wet earth, cement dust, fallen leaves — become the building blocks of her works in the series. Rather than depicting nature as static or decorative, she allows her forms to shift and evolve across the canvas with different layers of paint drying at different times. “This way, I was able to reflect and execute with deliberation,” she notes.</p>.<p>Working on several pieces at once, she ensured that each work is connected to the other rather than standing alone, a cohesive bond that forms the backbone of the show. She resisted isolating the pieces, explaining that “to pick key works doesn’t arise as they all interlock with each other.” That said, she felt that ‘Urban Garden 14’, a large piece and the soft-painted sculptures ‘Urban Garden 18 and 19’ pushed the boundaries of her practice, expanding both scale and form within the series.</p>.<p>Oil paint has been Kapila’s medium for nearly 30 years. She loves how its layers build up slowly, letting her reflect as she works and giving her a chance to pause when everyone else is rushing. “The answers come gradually, and the shapes and forms evolve on their own. Taking time to see them emerging through the paint is a fascinating revelation for me,” she expresses. One could see that in her paintings — the shapes hovered between something familiar and something abstract, shifting with each glance.</p>.<p>For ‘Pockets of Resistance’, Kapila didn’t stick to just oil paints. She brought in natural pigments from soil, plant dyes, pressed flowers, twigs, seeds, and dried leaves. These were part of a larger question on sustainability, both in the materials and the longevity of art itself. Installed in Gallery 2, many of the works are suspended to encourage viewers to engage with them from multiple distances so that they can discover new emerging forms. The soft sculptures, meanwhile, are positioned to be viewed from all angles, inviting movement and interaction. There is, she adds, a deliberate attempt to retain an element of surprise for visitors. While the show is anchored in Bengaluru’s landscape, its themes go way beyond geography. ‘Pockets of Resistance’ speaks to a broader idea of endurance —environmental as well as personal. The works suggest that even within rigid systems, organic and sustainable growth cannot be boxed in.</p>.<p>The exhibition ends today.</p>