Artist Romicon Revola’s Vortex calls for a double take

Vortex, Bengaluru-based Romicon Revola’s debut solo exhibition in Rome, is currently underway

Galleria Triphe in Rome, is currently hosting the works of Romicon Revola. In her first solo show in Rome, Vortex, the artist from Bengaluru is exhibiting sculptures, lenticular installations and augmented reality artwork.

Over the years, Romicon has made a name for herself as a visual artist, with works that highlight man’s equation with Nature. While she has tried her hand at using varied media, with Vortex, Romicon has given free rein to her experiments with Augmented Reality (AR).

“I first did a small series of AR art in 2019 and was fascinated by the outcome. However, during the pandemic that followed shortly after, it was got shelved. When this opportunity in Rome came, I saw it as a chance to explore this medium again,” says Romicon.

There is no mistaking the excitement in her voice as we connect over phone, a day after Vortex opened to the public. “I was surprised to see elderly people respond positively to the exhibits. Even though we had the required app ready on a few tabs to make it easier for viewers, they were eager to download it and view it on their own phones.”

Vortex is an interactive exhibition with around 10 works of AR art. “This show has quite a few large pieces and for one, I’ve used the entire wall to make an installation. There is also a rug with my artwork on it — people standing on it believe they are on a frozen lake and they go around, scanning images and exploring the AR works nearby. It is an immersive experience,” she says, talking about the show and its reception.

Romi, as she is popularly known, says her favourite piece from the AR installations is a still image of four green plastic bottles. “But when you scan it with your phone, it transforms into a green jellyfish. Another piece is of a patch of denim that seems to be floating in the air and when you scan it, it morphs into a denim dragon.”

Elaborating on the imagery, she says, “These things. such as plastic bottles and denim, exist because we need them and we consume them, but there’s a price to pay. Fast fashion is not sustainable and though we all love wearing jeans, they are water intensive.”