Exhibition Showcases Artworks from Solan Residency at Bikaner House
Artworks created during an inaugural multidisciplinary residency program were showcased at Bikaner House in Delhi, concluding an exhibition organized by art collector and advisor Teesta Bhandare's The Knowledge Convergence Foundation. The display brought together creations developed over a two-week residency in Himachal Pradesh, exploring the curatorial theme of "Paradise Promised."
Prior to the Delhi exhibition, six artists gathered in the village of Salogra in Solan district, Himachal Pradesh. Over the course of two weeks, the group lived in a shared space, exchanging concepts and working across diverse mediums away from the routines of daily life and the commercial art ecosystem. The initiative marked the public debut of The Knowledge Convergence Foundation.
The residency cohort included artists Rekha Hebbar Rao, Veer Munshi, Kodanda Rao Teppala, Sheena Maria Piedade, Digbijayee Khatua, and Dhiraj Pednekar, working alongside curatorial advisor Lina Vincent. The program asked participants to interpret paradise as a promise shaping individual aspirations and collective realities rather than merely an ideal. Responding through their distinct practices, the artists addressed themes of ecology, belonging, displacement, memory, and aspiration.
The exhibition at Bikaner House expanded on the residency with additional contributions from artists Shailesh BR, Akshata Mokashi, and Dhiraj Rabha, whose practices aligned with the curatorial direction. The display included a tech-coded installation by Shailesh BR. Attendees at the gathering included Rajeev Sethi, Shivani Sibal, Namita Gokhale, and Rajeev Lochan.
Speaking on the initiative, Bhandare stated that the model allowed direct engagement with artists and offered insight into the thoughts shaping their work. She explained that the intention was to move away from commercial considerations and provide practitioners the room to explore methods they would not ordinarily pursue.
Bhandare added that the multigenerational structure brought together practitioners between the ages of 30 and 79, placing artists at varying stages of their creative careers into dialogue.
