The gallery and online platform Artisera has concluded its exhibition titled 'The Mark of the Matrix — Impressions from Contemporary Indian Printmaking' in Bengaluru. This exposition features works by eleven contemporary Indian artists specializing in printmaking.
Founded in 2025, Artisera promotes modern Indian art, traditional art, and collectibles. Located in Indiranagar, Bengaluru, the platform aims to create a hybrid experience by combining physical exhibitions with digital capabilities.
Varun Bakliwal, founder and CEO of Artisera, noted that 'this exhibition reflects our conviction that Bengaluru deserves a stronger platform for printmaking.'
Printmaking is defined as the artistic process of transferring an inked image from a prepared matrix or template onto another surface, such as paper or fabric. Unlike direct drawing, printing allows an artist to create multiple original copies or editions from a single source.
The exhibition demonstrates the richness and complexity of this art form, presenting both established and emerging artists from across India. Among the participants are Durgadas Garai, Sushant Patel, Jayasimha Chandrashekar, Leticia Alvarez, Nisha Dhinwa, Priyum Talukdar, Swapnesh Vaigankar, Tsaring Negi, Venugopal VG, Vijay Bagodi, and Vishakha Apte.
Viewing the exhibition hall immerses visitors not only in the images but also in the processes themselves. Each printing technique leaves its unique trace, rhythm, and character on the paper. These characteristics include the direct marks of engraving, the subtlety of etching, the tonal delicacy of lithography, and the graphic immediacy of screen printing.
Elements such as line pressure, paper texture, ink density, tonal variations, and the boundary of color contact are highlighted. The act of contemplation becomes more tactile. Bakliwal explains the concept of the exhibition, stating that 'every print begins with a matrix—a carved wooden block, an etched copper plate, a lithographic stone, or a silkscreen. The matrix is where the image is born, refined, reconsidered, and ultimately realized.'
He adds that 'the matrix is the invisible beginning of every print. It contains the traces of labor, experiments, and countless artistic decisions.'
The exhibition showcases various printing methods, including xylography, etching, aquatint, engraving, drypoint, lithography, screen printing, and algraphy. Bakliwal asserts that 'the exhibition celebrates printmaking not merely as a means of reproduction, but as an original artistic practice, where every print bears witness to mastery, precision, and intention.'
Artisera hopes this exhibition will be the first in its annual series dedicated to contemporary Indian printmaking. He notes that despite its rich history, printmaking has often been underrepresented in major exhibition programs.
The gallery seeks to demonstrate both the innovation and collectible value of contemporary printmaking, thereby raising awareness of artists working in this field. Furthermore, the gallery includes interactive zones where visitors can examine tools, matrices, and trial prints before they become finished works.
Bakliwal emphasizes that 'at the heart of this exhibition lies an invitation to look beyond the finished image—to recognize the matrix as the true beginning of every print and to appreciate the dialogue between the artist, the material, and the process that gives printmaking its enduring vitality.'
The group exhibition makes this dialogue particularly vivid, allowing techniques to interact throughout the hall. The joy of surprises that printmaking exhibitions can offer is also noted: a quiet, flat image can reveal incredible depth upon closer inspection.
This opens up the possibility of encountering art through the intelligence of the hand, the chemistry of materials, and the discipline of the process. In an increasingly AI-driven era, printmaking brings the focus of creativity back to the human center.
Artisera, in collaboration with Brigade Group, has launched the national artist development program THRESHOLD. This program provides financial support, mentorship, professional development, and three exhibitions for six practicing Indian visual artists in Bengaluru, Chennai, and Hyderabad. Participants gain the chance to connect their practice with a new audience, collectors, and the broader art ecosystem, as well as access to Artisera's vetted network of clients and collectors.
Bakliwal concludes that while cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Baroda, and Kolkata have long supported important printmaking traditions, opportunities for deep engagement with this art form in Bengaluru remained limited. They hope this exhibition will help foster a sustainable community around printmaking in the city.