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Launched in 2014, PhotoSparks is a weekly feature from YourStory, with photographs that celebrate the spirit of creativity and innovation. In the earlier 785 posts, we featured an art festival, cartoon gallery. world music festival, telecom expo, millets fair, climate change expo, wildlife conference, startup festival, Diwali rangoli, and jazz festival.

Established in 2002, Hyderabad’s Srishti Art Gallery has curated over 200 exhibitions encompassing diverse artistic expressions. They include paintings, sculptures, graphics, drawings, and new media.

Srishti (‘creation’ in Sanskrit) also hosts workshops, discussions, and art consultations for artists and collectors. Its clients include architects, interior designers, and corporations, and its artworks are showcased at a range of prestigious art fairs.

Art collector and Ikebana practitioner Remani Nambiar, who founded the gallery, passed away in 2014. The gallery is now run by Lakshmi Nambiar, an investment banker turned gallerist and avid art collector.

Srishti recently showcased its annual exhibition on emerging artists, aptly titled Emerging Palettes. The artists are required to have completed their Masters in Arts within the last four years. The 14th edition features 11 talented artists selected by a jury comprising Amit Jain, Lakshmi Nambiar, and Varunika Saraf.

Over 200 applications were received this year, from which the final 11 artists were chosen. The exhibition has been organised in collaboration with Goethe-Zentrum Hyderabad.

The participating artists, some of whose works are pictured in this photo essay, are Anshuka Mahapatra, Arpan Sadhukhan, Avijit Dutta, Debashruti Aich, Deparna Saha, Digvijaysinh Jadeja, Mahesh Mothe, Poojan Gupta, Rima Paul, Shilpa Bawane, and Siddharth Soni.

Kolkata-based artist Arpan Sadhukan reflects on the harsh realities of consumerism and explores the darker side hidden beneath glossy marketing. His works expose the consequences of a society obsessed with social validation and consumerist cravings, rather than genuine human connections.

Hyderabad-based Debashruti Aich delves into personal dilemmas, unearthing buried memories and crafting stories that blur the line between reality and dreams. She explores answers to questions of identity, purpose, and self-discovery.

Avijit Dutta portrays life in Howrah’s industrial areas in a surreal fashion. The universal struggles and triumphs of common citizens are highlighted in his work.

London-based artist Poojan Gupta utilises throwaway pharmaceutical packs as her primary medium to depict rituals and sacred offerings. She aims to spotlight the aesthetic, ethical and environmental dimensions of these materials, beyond their ordinary functions.

Deparna Saha, an artist from West Bengal, examines the relationship between nature and culture instilled by women in the family. She has a Master of Fine Arts degree in painting from the Sarojini Naidu School of Arts and Communication, University of Hyderabad.

Pune-based Shilpa Bawane incites dialogues concerning the passage of time in her artworks, focusing on vulnerability and resilience. She invites audiences to hone their appreciation for the present moment.

Hyderabad-based artist Mahesh Mothe uses discarded mechanical and electronic materials in his work to portray the chaos and depression in the human experience. His works provoke a dialogue about the nature of reality and human perception.

Kolkata-based artist Rima Paul explores the human body through the representation of dolls in a surrealistic manner. Her works aim to forge unconventional connections between the human body and everyday industrial elements.

Udaipur-based Siddharth Soni presents artworks titled Vortex and This is Where I Come From. They show how multiple perspectives can exist on the same issue, but people often become trapped within their own belief system.

Now what have you done today to pause in your busy schedule and harness your creative side for a better world?

(All photographs were taken by Madanmohan Rao on location at the gallery.)