Mumbai, 14th April 2025 –Somaiya Vidyavihar University, building on the 83-year-old legacy of Somaiya Vidyavihar, announces the fourth edition of its much-anticipated art showcase, IMMERSE. Presented this year under the aegis of the newly formed Dr. Shantilal K. Somaiya School of Art, IMMERSE will showcase the work of the selected artists through curated exhibitions, open studios, and public conversations. The showcase will be open to the public from 12 April to 5 May 2025.
The inaugural ceremony on 12 April will be graced by Mr. Bhushan Gagrani (IAS), Municipal Commissioner of Mumbai, Shri Samir Somaiya, Chancellor of Somaiya Vidyavihar University, and other eminent personalities from the art and cultural landscape (please add more names here).
This year’s edition, themed सच कहें तो – To Tell the Truth, brings together 11 emerging artists from across India, whose works reflect powerful narratives of migration, memory, identity, environment, and heritage. The showcase will include curated exhibitions, interactive open studios, and public conversations, inviting audiences to engage deeply with contemporary artistic practice on the University’s lush, zero-waste campus in Mumbai.
For the first time, three curators — Amshula Prakash, Himanshu Mahato, and Teesta Albuquerque — have collaboratively shaped the exhibition, lending IMMERSE 4.0 a multi-voiced, interdisciplinary approach that resonates with its theme of truth-telling.
In association with Natasha Jeyasingh, Al-Qawi Nanavati, and Shaleen Wadhwana, and envisioned on campus by Siddharth Somaiya with the support of Shri Samir Somaiya, IMMERSE was created as a platform to amplify underrepresented voices, especially from underserved and remote regions of India. Since its inception, the residency has supported over 50 artists from 30+ cities, including Kashmir, Nagaland, Bihar, Odisha, and the Andaman Islands.
Participating artists receive full support — from dedicated studio space and professional mentorship to travel, accommodation, and production resources. The program culminates in a professionally designed public showcase, with 100% of artwork proceeds going directly to the artists.
“Too often, art is uprooted from its own context, made to conform, to translate. IMMERSE aims to shift that. It’s a reclamation of voice, space, and origin, a place where young artists, especially from underrepresented geographies, can speak about themselves on their own terms. We aim to nurture emerging talent from across the country and bring fresh, vital perspectives into the centre of the conversation.,” said Siddharth Somaiya, Patron and Co-creator of IMMERSE.
“We see the arts as vital to how knowledge is created, shared, and preserved. IMMERSE reflects a belief that artistic inquiry deserves the same seriousness and care as any academic pursuit. With the Dr. Shantilal K. Somaiya School of Art, we aim to build a space where diverse histories and languages shape a contemporary practice rooted in both context and curiosity,” said Shri Samir Somaiya, Chancellor of Somaiya Vidyavihar University.
IMMERSE 4.0 exemplifies Somaiya Vidyavihar University’s long-standing commitment to creativity, sustainability, and the cultivation of emerging voices in Indian art.
Leave a Reply