Archive · 14 Nov 2025
Cartography of Identity Exhibition Redefines Maps
Imagine maps that don't just show you how to get from one place to another.
This art show, 'Cartography of Identity,' features maps made by artists that tell stories about who people are.
Some artists use old maps and found objects, like stones or shells, to show memories of a place.
Others draw detailed pictures of towns to show how many different people live together.
Some artists even use numbers and data to create beautiful pictures that represent spaces.
The show suggests that our identities are like maps, always changing and shaped by our experiences.
It's like finding your own special place in the world by looking at these unique maps.
The 'Cartography of Identity' exhibition at Apparao Galleries reinterprets maps as tools for exploring personal identity and human experience.
Curated by Sharan Apparao, the show features artists who look beyond geographical scales to delve into personal histories and cosmic balance.
Artists like Orijit Sen, Smriti Dixit, Chantel Jhumel, Shijo Jacob, and RM Palaniappan showcase diverse approaches, including detailed narratives, collages with found objects, and abstract data visualization.
The exhibition explores the idea that identity, much like a map, is fluid and shifts with perspective and time.
The show aims to make different artworks communicate with each other, creating a cohesive artistic landscape that reflects on mapping as a form of personal reflection.
- Who
- Artists including RM Palaniappan, Satyendra Kumar, Orijit Sen, S Sujil, Smriti Dixit, Chantel Jhumel, and Shijo Jacob
- What
- An exhibition titled 'Cartography of Identity' that reinterprets the concept of maps beyond geographical representation to explore personal identity, human experience, and cosmic connections.
- When
- Ongoing until November 17
- Where
- Apparao Galleries at Bikaner House
- Why
- To showcase how artists use mapping as a concept to express personal histories, human experiences, and the relationship between man, cosmos, and aesthetics.
Traditional Mapping
Contemporary Mapping
Purpose of Maps
Traditional Mapping
Maps are primarily blueprints for geographical structure, showing scales and locations.
Contemporary Mapping
Maps can be windows into identity, personal histories, human experiences, and cosmic balance, transcending geographical representation.
Artistic Interpretation
Traditional Mapping
Maps adhere to scientific and mathematical principles like grids and coordinates.
Contemporary Mapping
Artists reinterpret mapping through personal narratives, abstract forms, and emotional or metaphysical connections, using elements like found objects and traditional art forms.
- Exhibition Title
- Cartography of Identity
- Venue
- Apparao Galleries at Bikaner House
- Curator
- Sharan Apparao
- Exhibition Dates
- Until November 17
- Artistic Mediums
- Collages, digital prints, narrative depictions, reimagined traditional art
- Featured Artists
- RM Palaniappan, Satyendra Kumar, Orijit Sen, S Sujil, Smriti Dixit, Chantel Jhumel, Shijo Jacob