Among the various architectural attractions in the city stands VR Chennai. From a huge bell at the atrium to the myriad murals that adorn the walls, the shopping centre has captured many an artist’s wonder. Now, VR Chennai turns into a canvas for the Madras Art Guild (MAG). The fifth edition, in association with YUJ Foundation, was inaugurated on Thursday, with the theme ‘Future is Now’ carrying over 1,300 artworks in multiple formats, by dancer-actor Shobana. Curated by Sumi Gupta, the exhibition centres on sustainability, preservation and environmental responsibility through art.
Sumi, who has seen MAG grow, especially in terms of the involvement of students, shares, “When we began, many students created excellent work but struggled to express their ideas. Today, they are far more confident and take pride in their work,” she notes. This year, students bring their message of sustainability. “Across installations, there is a clear concern for preserving the planet and creating awareness about the waste,” she adds.
Enter the mall, and you walk through a 10-foot installation titled PORTALS created by Art Kingdom (in collaboration with UNESCO), an arch made with 250 kg of waste collected from the city’s shoreline. It serves as a reminder of the incessant littering in public spaces. Walk further, and The Kala Car comes into sight. Evoking nostalgia, this colourful creation is done on an Ambassador by artist Saravanan Senathipathi from the Cholamandal Artists’ Village. The installation comes to life with paintings of tribal faces with subtle colour play. The idea, he says, was to “Transfer movement into art, taking creativity beyond the canvas and into public space as it symbolises how art can travel, connect people, and spark a conversation wherever it goes.”
Terracotta figures by students of Velammal International School titled ‘From Yesterday’, reflect everyday human habits and their silent effects. Once you reach the Swargamandapam (Main Atrium), sound and sight merge at the ‘Love Piano’. Here, Saravanan, in association with the Consulate General of Japan in Chennai and Yamaha, has reimagined visual art. “I hesitated to even touch it at first,” the artist shares. “But once I began, it became a conversation between music and visual art.”
The mall no longer feels like a commercial space. VR Chennai has been divided into five art galleries for this edition, presenting diverse artistic expressions. Installations fill every nook and cranny, like ‘Life blood’ that reflect the human-nature connect; ‘The Statue of the Future’, inspired by the Statue of Liberty, created by The Pupil Saveetha Eco School, reflecting the growing dependency on technology; and a distorted installation of Nataraja, by team Silaii led by Arun Titen, and more. Technology-led works such as The Face Project introduce 3D face scanning and 3D printing into public art.
Photography also takes centre stage at the event, in collaboration with Chennai Photo Biennale (CPB) Foundation. From Chennai in Focus, capturing the city in its many dimensions, to UNESCO’s Pockets of Hope photo exhibition bringing attention to marine ecosystems, there is much to consume, learn, and reflect.
Among the larger installation is one by students of Velammal International School who have presented a creation that connects Science and art. They were guided by senior artist Upayan Bardhan, who draws inspiration from Picasso’s Guernica, a timeless anti-war piece born during the Spanish Civil War. “Through this work, students are not reliving destruction; they are learning from it, and imagining a better future,” he says.
The exhibition extends beyond observation. Workshops and a Pan-India short film festival invite visitors to step into the world of arts, explore, and create. The Street Art Theatre Festival, Art Bazaar, traditional folk art performances, and Literature Fest will also be held. “Because art is not static; it is participatory,” sums up Sumi.
Madras Art Guild goes on till March 22.