Bengaluru — In a strong display of dissent, Bengaluru’s art community has announced a boycott of the official inauguration of the renovated Venkatappa Art Gallery, scheduled for 4 p.m. on Thursday. The move comes in response to a government-issued invitation that failed to acknowledge or include any artists in the ceremony.
The omission has sparked widespread criticism from senior artists across Karnataka. “The invitation is only a long list of government officials. The Venkatappa Art Gallery belongs to the artists; it is a shame that not a single artist is mentioned,” said eminent artist SG Vasudev, who has declined to attend the event.
Adding to the discontent, several artists reported that they only received invitations after publicly voicing their concerns on social media. “In fact, many of us did not receive the invitation. It was only after multiple artists started criticising the inauguration online that we received a formal invite on Tuesday evening,” said Sheela Gowda, a member of the Venkatappa Art Gallery (VAG) Forum Working Committee.
Although organizers issued a revised invitation on Wednesday evening—including the names of some senior artists and a general invitation to artists statewide—the VAG Forum remains firm in its decision to boycott.
In lieu of attending the official event, the VAG Forum, an informal body representing over 500 artists, has planned an alternative gathering titled ‘Gallery Pravesha’ at 11:30 a.m. on Friday. The event is intended as an inclusive celebration of the gallery’s reopening.
“We are not protesting the inauguration. Since we are not attending the official event, this is an opportunity for artists to visit the renovated gallery together,” Gowda explained. “We’ve invited officials as well. If they allow us entry, we’ll go in; otherwise, we’ll view it from outside and congratulate each other.”
The Venkatappa Art Gallery has undergone significant renovation after years of neglect, and its reopening was eagerly anticipated by the arts community. Senior artist Pa Sa Kumar expressed disappointment over the current controversy overshadowing what should have been a moment of collective pride.
“We all fought hard for this renovation and to prevent the gallery’s privatization,” he said. “The renewed space, now managed by the Brigade Group, is beautiful—with two new galleries and a performance space. Some of us were deeply involved in the process. It’s deeply unfair that artists were sidelined at the moment of its inauguration.”
The incident has reignited long-standing concerns about the lack of recognition and involvement of artists in decisions that directly affect their cultural institutions.
