Bengaluru, India’s renowned tech hub, is now becoming a playground for digital artists and immersive creators. Across the city, a new wave of innovation is emerging — one where technology meets art to create transformative experiences. From metro stations to creative labs, artists and technologists are crafting immersive exhibitions, interactive installations, and public storytelling spaces that bring new media art to the forefront.
One such standout experience features a young protagonist named Sista, whose journey through a reimagined Bengaluru captures the essence of this creative evolution.
Sista: The Digital Storyteller of Bengaluru’s Dreams
At the heart of a groundbreaking exhibition is Sista, a fictional nine-year-old girl who guides audiences through a dreamlike version of Bengaluru. Created by Shammi Raj Balla from the Sensistan Foundation, the character of Sista represents imagination unbound by adult constraints.
Immersive Art Experience: Lost in Bangalore
This storytelling experience is titled “Lost in Bangalore”, an immersive exhibition that blends technology with emotion. Hosted at the Bangalore Creative Circus (BCC) in Yeshwanthpur, the exhibit is a collaborative effort by Sensistan, BCC, and Craft 360.
It brings together 18 artists working across mediums like interactive installations, sound art, motion graphics, and physical-digital blends. The space allows visitors to explore Bengaluru through Sista’s eyes, moving from one memory and space to another, blurring the lines between reality and imagination.
Notable installations include:
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Flames to Beams – Depicting elemental transformation and human evolution
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The Human Synthesizer – Where human motion generates sound
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The Last Plant Alive – A commentary on ecological loss
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Virshabhavati to Vishwabhavati – Tracing Bengaluru’s water stories through artistic metaphor
Through Sista’s narrative, the show becomes both interactive and personal, allowing each viewer to reflect on their own relationship with the city.
Art in Transit: Bengaluru Metro as a Creative Canvas
Innovation isn’t confined to galleries. The Art in Transit initiative, created by the Srishti Institute of Art, Design, and Technology in partnership with BMRCL, has turned Bengaluru’s metro stations into platforms for public digital art.
Stations like MG Road and Cubbon Park have hosted performances, light installations, and digital murals that connect commuters to storytelling rooted in local culture, environment, and urban experiences.
This democratization of art makes creativity accessible and prompts meaningful conversations in everyday spaces.
Museums Powered by New Media Technologies
Bengaluru is also redefining the traditional museum experience with technology-driven exhibits that encourage interaction and engagement.
Museum of Art & Photography (MAP)
Located near Cubbon Park, MAP incorporates augmented reality, digital archives, and virtual tours, allowing users to explore thousands of artworks both online and on-site. It merges classic curation with modern tech to reach global audiences.
Indian Music Experience (IME)
IME, India’s first experiential music museum, offers a highly interactive experience using sound walls, remix stations, and digital instruments. Visitors can learn about India’s diverse musical heritage in a playful, tech-rich environment.
Creative Spaces in Tech Parks and Shopping Malls
In a city where technology is embedded into daily life, even corporate spaces and malls are evolving into creative art environments. Locations like RMZ Ecoworld, Embassy TechVillage, and VR Bengaluru host rotating exhibits featuring digital art, VR storytelling, and AI-generated installations.
These high-traffic venues not only showcase innovation but also expose wider audiences to emerging forms of phygital art, where the physical and digital intersect.
Bangalore Creative Circus: A Hub for Innovation
The Bangalore Creative Circus (BCC) is central to Bengaluru’s tech-art ecosystem. More than an art space, BCC is a sustainable innovation lab where technology, science, and creativity merge. With initiatives that address climate action, biodiversity, and urban life, BCC offers residencies, maker spaces, and events that support interdisciplinary experimentation.
The Lost in Bangalore installation is a perfect reflection of BCC’s ethos — blending emotional storytelling with interactive technology to make visitors think, feel, and connect.
Sensistan Foundation: Championing Creative Technologists
The Sensistan Foundation, originally launched in Goa, has expanded to Bengaluru with a mission to support creative technologists. The foundation creates opportunities for artists working at the intersection of code, design, and storytelling.
Through partnerships, exhibitions, and residencies, Sensistan is shaping a new generation of Indian creators who explore AI, immersive media, generative art, and digital consciousness.
Why Bengaluru is the Future of Art-Tech in India
With its deep pool of tech talent, design schools, and cultural institutions, Bengaluru is emerging as India’s leading destination for new media art. The convergence of startups, sustainability think tanks, and creative collectives gives the city a unique edge in developing meaningful, tech-powered storytelling.
Whether it’s an AI-powered installation in a museum, an interactive mural in a metro station, or a digital child leading us through an imagined city, Bengaluru is redefining what it means to experience art.
Conclusion: Bridging Realities Through Art and Innovation
Bengaluru’s creative evolution shows that when technology meets imagination, the results can be both stunning and soulful. Through characters like Sista, and platforms like BCC, MAP, and Art in Transit, the city invites us to see the world — and ourselves — differently.
As immersive art continues to grow, Bengaluru is setting a powerful example of how art, code, and community can come together to shape the cultural narratives of tomorrow.
