Bizarre Intimacies - catalogue

a note from the curators exhibition map spatial note visual identity artworks in display acknowledgements‘Bizarre Intimacies’ brings together a collection of deeply personal works, a tether between the artists and viewers that goes beyond physical connection. The works act as a disruption in our subconscious, creating a distortion between self and other, turning the familiar into something unfamiliar, and yet, undeniably human. The pieces in the exhibition make us think of the nature of intimacy itself- how something so deeply personal can go beyond individual experience and translate universally. They are intimate in ways that are emotional, intellectual, spiritual, and creative. As we get a peek into the artists’ vulnerabilities, their stories start to connect with parts of ourselves, unlocking memories and emotions that feel both theirs and yet intimately familiar to us.The distortion of self evokes a sense of remembrance. We are reminded of the influences that have shaped our own identities- experiences, memories and forces we might have never realised before; whether it’s the cartoons we used to watch daily before school, the long conversations during sleepovers, or that one activity the whole family did together. The exhibition allows us to step into the artists’ worlds, to experience their intimate recollections, and hence to reflect on our own. It makes us think of the ways in which our memories merge with the stories of others, creating a space where personal and collective histories blur. It raises the question: what part do our memories play in shaping us? Just how much of our identity is our own? And most importantly, do we have the agency to take control of it, or does its essence lie in being this amalgamation? Through these disturbances, individual memories are no longer static, they grow, shift, and overlap. The past is never fixed, and therefore neither is the self.Bizarre Intimacies unfolds within a space that speaks to the tension of connection, both exposed and contained. Metal scaffolding rises through the space, framing the art like a fragile structure, evoking vulnerability and confinement. Tarp flows unpredictably through rods, mirroring intimacy’s shifting, erratic nature. Thick, haphazard ink lines cut across the fabric, embodying the raw, untamed energy of impulsive thought, like a teenage outburst tinged with longing and nostalgia. The mixed media works scattered throughout the space respond to this unrefined environment, creating a fragmented, immersive experience that mirrors the complexity and contradictions of human connection. The atmosphere is both disorienting and intimate, inviting you to reflect on the messy, beautiful realities of how we relate to one another and ourselves.the visual identity revolves around themes of childhood, nostalgia, summer and the contradicting emotions we feel while growing up. Through the artworks, artists rant their feelings of angst, confusion, and discoveries about themselves. The yellow signifies innocence, while the bleeding blues represent its loss as we enter adulthood and realise what this world truly is. This juxtaposition of colour depicts the bittersweet experience of coming of age. The chaotic yet intentional strokes are a parallel to the way the artists have shown their vulnerability through these works.multimedia photo montage inheritance of dreams, glorification our perception of places is shaped by our memories. Stories that are passed down create expectations, but reality unfolds differently. The Mumbai locals, in this case, are both a lived experience and a dream inherited from a loved one. The rush of packed trains, the shuffling of the crowd, was a chaos that felt alive, electric. But elsewhere, chaos feels confining, overwhelming. What happens to make this energy feel so contrasting in different contexts? When we yearn for a place, maybe what is being truly sought is the connection it represents. palavi likhar 3D animation film an heirloom of strength, passed down in melodies, in whispers, in the soft hums of comfort. A mother sings lullabies as a way to protect and soothe, but in doing so, she also indirectly shares her fears and her ways of fighting them. As we grow up, these songs take on new meanings, resurfacing in moments of fear and uncertainty. They’re hummed while battling dark corridors, they’re remembered as a source of solace long after the singing has stopped. Becoming more than just moments in the past, they transform into a quiet, safe, inherited haven. sana sujit identities are inheritedfamily-intimacy through parental bondprinted textbook self expression being influenced by an instituition. Is self expression really the self then? what is the self? at what age does the self develop? throughout school, I was taught to write in a particular way. Over time, the way I speak and write has become so deeply ingrained that I find it impossible to unlearn or change. Back then, writing poems felt effortless there was no pressure to perfect them or worry about the outcome. School has shaped our mindset more than we often realize, setting invisible boundaries around creativity. The fear of making mistakes slowly replaces the joy of expression. bhawana singhinteractive installation When the attachments you form break away easily to form newer ones. But how do assess what should break and what should stay? Do they break naturally or do you do it on purpose? Does this kill any chance of reconnection? we step into new spaces and immerse ourselves so fully that the past eventually fades like echoes in an empty room. We form connections, fleeting yet vivid before they dissolve into memory. In this cycle of belonging and parting, we constantly shift, evolve, and grow. Is this a survival instinct, a hunger for something new, or just the inherent nature of change? This work explores the tension between movement and memory, embracing the new, and longing for what’s left behind. rajas jethi