Going above and beyond with Liminal

Liminal will showcase the works of seven artists from Karnataka at the MKF Museum of Art

Updated - August 18, 2026 08:11 pm IST

Passing Fields by Shweta Hegde at Liminal | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

“I wanted to bring various voices together in a celebration of freedom. I believe art is the freedom of expression, and emotion,” says Belinda Fernandez of ARTELLA, curator of the show, Liminal. “It felt apt considering this is the month we celebrate our Independence as a nation.”

According to Belinda, the exhibition distills the essence of human journeys as experienced by each artist.

“Each of their styles is uniquely different; you will not see an overlap of art or thought in their work. Each of them have their own signature when it comes to representing their emotions through art,” says Belinda, who admits since seven is her favourite number, she chose as many artists for the show.

Participating artists include Bharath Laddiyavar, Gangadhar Bandanavar, Ramesh Garawad, Santosh Pattar, Shrishail Kamate, Shweta Hegde and Sumukhraj N. All the artists hail from different regions of Karnataka and between them have works executed using oil pastels, charcoal, acrylic, water colours and more.

Belinda says Gangadhar Laddiyavar has a way of presenting mythology in a contemporary manner that will appeal to today’s generation. "He wants to tell a story; he does not want us to forget our traditions, culture or the past of things,” she says.

Bharat’s use of flora to express human emotions, “resonates with us Bangaloreans who take pride in our garden city. And the wee bit of nudity found in his work, is quite tastefully done.”

On the other hand, Shrishail Kamate’s work is a stark reminder of the degradation of our environment. He shows the city from an aerial point of view; a perspective that not only makes it hard to ignore green patches giving way to growing greys and browns, but also evokes a sense of nostalgia.

Shyness by Sumukhraj N at Liminal | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Santosh Pattar draws inspiration from folk art and his rural roots. “For him, it is all about nature, the environment, and human connectivity as he believes all three need to always blend in for a harmonious existence. Santosh’s art brings to the fore our farmers and their importance in our lives. He brings in an emotional connect, telling us a story about that as well.”

Ramesh Garawad has an inclination for human faces and their story, says Belinda. “He also loves tradition and his work depicts the kind of clothes we used to wear, how our society carried itself. The eyes of his subjects are their most important feature, exuding a peace and calm that is rare in today’s world.”

Shweta Hegde uses art as therapy, and looks at life from a perspective of beauty. As a result, her works whether they are of a landscape or just flowers can be therapeutic, bringing in a different emotional connect.

Since Sumukhraj N uses charcoal, each of his works take longer to complete, and each piece invites contemplation. Belinda says, “I chose the name Liminal since it is a threshold for different emotions of seven people with seven different perspectives.”

Liminal will go on display at MKF Museum of Art from August 22 to September 2. Entry free, Mondays closed.

Published - August 18, 2026 06:52 pm IST

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