Swagata Bhattacharyya
Work No. 5R (Untitled), 2022
Colored pencil and graphite on paper
8.27 x 5.83 inches
Aicon Contemporary is pleased to present: Contains, Cuddles, Exalts, Or Stimulates, a group show featuring: Swagata Bhattacharyya, Marcy Chevali, Dilip Chobisa, Abir Karmakar, Najmun Nahar Keya, Sameer Kulavoor, Seher Naveed, Maheen Niazi, Giles Pates, Misra Pravat, Gigi Scaria and Abhishek Tuiwala.
Throughout history, architecture has been a symbol of resilience, offering protection and continuity amidst the shifting sands of political and social upheaval. It has also been a medium for artistic expression and practice. From the ancient walled cities to modern-day refugee shelters, structures have borne witness to the trials of their people. Likewise, art has long been a response to these challenges—offering commentary, healing, and, often, a space to find peace amidst chaos. Alternatively, to amplify the chaos. Contains, Cuddles, Exalts, Or Stimulates explores the dynamic relationship between art, architecture and the society the two exist within.
This exhibition brings together works that marry the sculptural, conceptual, and spatial qualities of architectural forms with the emotive power of art. The art invites viewers to reconsider how objects—whether built or imagined—can act as sanctuaries, sources of stability, or even acts of defiance in the face of external pressures. The works on display demonstrate how architecture can transcend its function to become an expression of resistance, hope, and refuge, while art itself reimagines the boundaries of physical and emotional safety.
As the world continues to grapple with political instability and uncertainty, these works remind us of the enduring need for spaces that offer us a sense of belonging and a place to gather strength. In their own way, both art and architecture provide a response to the forces that seek to destabilize—whether by creating physical walls of shelter, or by offering symbolic ones that protect the psyche.
Marcy Chevali
Venae Cavae, 2022
flameworked borosilicate glass on brass mount
26 x 32 x 17 inches
Swagata Bhattacharyya (b.1996, India) received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting from Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata (2018), and a Master of Visual Arts in Painting from Maharaja Sayajirao University, Vadodara (2020). He has previously received the Inlaks Fine Arts Award in 2020 and participated in a hybrid residency under Khoj International Artists’ Association in 2021. His practice gives visibility to speculative narratives of existing power structures and the multifaceted ways it shapes our world. He works with drawing, photographs, and CGI to create simulated worlds and inquires how modes of power shape policies, and influence future environs via architecture and urban design, technology, and manufactured landscapes.
Marcy Chevali (b.1982, United States) is a visual artist with an MFA from the Maine College of Art; she has been based in New York City since 2008. Chevali often incorporates ordinary household materials including thread, tea, sugar, turmeric, even wrapping cinnamon in paper to create layered juxtapositions which alter common perceptions. She has served on the board of directors for the South Asian Women’s Creative Collective since 2011.
Dilip Chobisa (b.1978, India) Through his constructed rendition of the mystery, the idea of the hidden is formed by what is revealed. This is achieved by way of a curtain, a hallway, a beam of light or a suggestive stairway. He disregards the laws of architecture, yet creates an order of intrigue and curiosity. His drawings are defined by light or the lack of it, suggesting dark silences and pronounced emptiness. He challenges the limits of perception and makes visible the possibility of a space beyond the defined. He also dabbles with photography.
Abir Karmakar (b.1977, India) Karmakar focuses on the reality in front of him. Painting scenes from inside his home to the bounding city around him, Karmakar captures the subtleties of everyday life. Monumentalizing the mundane emphasizes feelings of familiarity and solitude, while exploring the study of ordinary things. His third solo at Aicon Contemporary, Nightjar, considered the artist’s relationship to the city as a resident whose roots are removed from the local culture and who does not speak the regional language.
Najmun Nahar Keya (b.1980, Bangladesh) Central to Keya’s artistic practice is the relationship between human behavior and society. Having spent five years in Tokyo, on the prestigious Monbukagakusho Japanese government scholarship, awarded to one emerging Bangladeshi artist every year; these years had a disproportionately high impact on Keya’s art, and on her person. The experience of being an immigrant in a country not known to welcome immigrants, brought out in her a talent of finding beauty, even when it is buried deep. Her art, too, embraced Japanese art in nuanced ways.
Sameer Kulavoor (b.1983, India) is a visual artist living and working in Mumbai, India. Having closely witnessed the rapid transformation of urban surroundings and culture in India in the 90s (results of economic liberalisation and the internet boom), Kulavoor’s innate approach is to constantly note and understand the impact that time, culture, politics and socio-economic conditions have on our visible and invisible surroundings.
Seher Naveed’s (b.1984, Pakistan) practice is based on the socio-political development of Karachi and its effects on the way we live. She was awarded a BFA from the Indus Valley School of Art & Architecture, Karachi in 2007 and an MA in Fine Art from Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design, London in 2009. She is an Assistant Professor and Head of the Department of Fine Art at the Indus Valley School of Art & Architecture, where she teaches experimental drawing and painting.
Maheen Niazi (b. 1991, Pakistan) explores the intersections of religion and culture, and highlights points of fusion where both merge. Culture is seen as ever changing, whereas religion is often thought of as being firm in its code - yet - both flow into one another. She sees society steeped in misperceptions as religion is used to justify cultural practices.
Giles Pates (b.1992, United States) is a fine artist based in New York City. A lifelong painter, his work explores human connection—particularly through communal spaces. At the heart of his work is an ongoing exploration of environments where people gather—neighborhood basketball courts, kitchens, parks—places where human connection thrives. Yet, his paintings do not depict the people within these spaces. Instead, he captures them in still, unoccupied moments, evoking a sense of tranquility while subtly commenting on the disconnection of modern life.
Misra Pravat (b. 1972, India) completed his Bachelor's degree in painting in 2002 and his Master's in 2004, both from the Faculty of Fine Arts at M.S. University, Baroda. His art practice examines architectural forms and materials through a fractured lens. He is a member of the Layout collective along with artists Navid Tschopp, Susanta Mondal, and architect S. Boka. Their projects have been exhibited in the Kochi-Muziris Biennale, 2012, Kiran Nadar Museum of Art, 2013, INSERT, 2014, the Colombo Biennale, 2014, and in non-institutional sites in Delhi and Zurich. He was a recipient of the Pro Helvetia artist residency in Switzerland
Gigi Scaria (b.1973, India) Gigi Scaria completed his master’s degree in Painting from Jamia Millia University in New Delhi in 1998. His work draws the viewer’s attention towards the painful truths of migrancy and displacement through his intense investigation of urban topographies, modern city structures, and the intended and unintended consequences of such for the people who live amongst them. Issues of alienation and unsettlement reverberate within the labyrinthine buildings of his canvases and the uncanny structures of his sculptures and installations.
Abhishek Tuiwala (b.1994, India) At the core of his artistic practice is a profound exploration of identity, the fluidity of time, the nuances of perception, and the intricate social constructs that shape our daily lives. His work bridges the gap between art and life by deconstructing and reassembling familiar elements, inviting fresh perspectives and challenging ingrained assumptions.