In an age where screens constantly mediate human experience, Srishti Manipal Institute of Art, Design and Technology has opened a timely and thought-provoking photography exhibition titled Being Hyper Human, in collaboration with the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), New York. The two-week exhibition was inaugurated on 7 February 2026 at the Venkatappa Gallery on Kasturba Road, Bengaluru, and will remain open to the public until 20 February.
The exhibition brings together photographic works by students, alumni and faculty members from both institutions. It examines the evolving relationship between people and images in a world dominated by digital platforms and social media. As the boundaries between observing and performing blur, the exhibition asks viewers to pause and reflect on how images shape identity, emotion and perception.
Brian Emery, Acting Chair of Photography at FIT New York, attended the opening as the special guest. Speaking about the collaboration, he said the project grew out of months of visual exchange and dialogue across continents. According to him, the exhibition reflects a shared inquiry into how individuals increasingly become images even before they are truly seen, and how screens redefine ideas of connection and presence in everyday life.
At its core, Being Hyper Human explores what it means to live in a hyper-image world. The exhibition raises unsettling yet relevant questions: How do we relate to images of ourselves? Why does reality often feel inadequate when it fails to match its digital representation? What meanings of the present are created through constant visual documentation? Through diverse photographic narratives, the exhibition captures both the tension and beauty of contemporary visual culture.
Dr Arindam Das, Director of Srishti Manipal Institute, highlighted the importance of global collaboration in artistic education. He noted that the project reflects not only cross-cultural partnership but also a shared commitment to provoking thought and critical reflection through art. Faculty members Mahesh Bhat and Jatin Gulati, who co-mentored the project, described it as one of the most meaningful initiatives they have been part of, crediting the students’ dedication for bringing the exhibition to life.
Designed as an immersive experience, the exhibition invites artists, students and the wider public to engage deeply with visual stories that question how reality is constructed and consumed today. The collaboration also underlines MAHE’s broader commitment to fostering international dialogue and advancing critical discourse in contemporary photography and visual arts.
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