Tejal Patni’s Vichitra “Spot the Difference”: A bloodied societal commentary 

Tejal Patni’s Vichitra “Spot the Difference”, is like unravelling a crimson onion – where each layer peeled stains one’s hands a deeper red, the pinch of tears sharper, and yet one simply can’t look away from the raw truth it uncovers.

Nana Patekar’s iconic monologue from Krantiveer questions human differences and the societal norms that lead to them – a dialogue that sets the stage for Patni’s latest showcase. Taking inspiration from blood as a universal equaliser, Photographer, Film Director and Visual Artist Tejal Patni returns with Vichitra “Spot the Difference” at ART Mumbai from 14th to 17th November. 

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Vichitra “Spot the Difference” is a metaphor nestled within a metaphor – a double, nigh, a triple entendre even. The artwork is a slight of contrasts, the contrasts of humanity, the contrasts between a child’s game of spotting differences and the social reflex it gives way to; and also the contrast between surreal art and the real conversations it inspires. 

“Art’s role is to provoke, to unsettle, and to shift the gaze—not with a hammer but with a whisper that won’t leave you. I believe art has the power to plant seeds, to create spaces where questions grow larger than their answers. Can it drive change? It depends on how you define change. Art may not topple structures overnight, but it can erode the stubborn walls of prejudice one insight, one discomfort, at a time,” says Tejal Patni.

Vichitra “Spot the Difference” is, as he says, unsettling. Yet the blood bags that line the installation are, while stark, also a “deeply human” symbol as Patni puts it. The showcase continues the surrealist legacy of the previous Vichitra, however this time, with social commentary at the helm. We delve into the world of Vichitra once again with Tejal Patni.

Excerpts from a conversation with Tejal Patni 

Your installation is inspired by Nana Patekar’s monologue from Krantiveer. What drew you to this specific dialogue and how did it evolve to become the theme of your installation?

There’s a stark, unvarnished truth in Patekar’s monologue that cuts to the bone: we are obsessed with skin-deep differences, while we overlook the crimson that runs uniformly through us all. I was struck by the raw power of those words—the way they challenge us to step back and confront our biases. This dialogue became the backbone of Vichitra “Spot the Difference” , a piece not only about acknowledging the trivial markers that divide us but unravelling them. It was born from the idea of turning that spoken truth into a visceral, visual experience that invites reflection and discomfort.

Tell us about the influence cinema plays in your work.

Cinema is the language of dreams and shared consciousness; it’s where reality meets hyperbole. My installations are indebted to that blend of storytelling—where visuals collide with emotion and sound to create a world that is surreal yet honest. From the sweeping epic frames of Bollywood to the intense silence of arthouse films, the rhythm of cinema has taught me how to amplify moments, build anticipation, and layer narratives that seep under the skin.

Referring to the nomenclature, how is Vichitra “Spot the Difference” different from the earlier showcase of Vichitra?

The first iteration of “Vichitra” leaned more into the abstract and the kaleidoscopic play of identity. In this evolution, “Spot the Difference” shifts gears into more defined social critique. It isn’t just about the bizarre and surreal; it’s about why we notice some things and ignore others. The installation has a sharper edge—it juxtaposes the absurdity of a childhood game with the sombre weight of societal judgments.

Can you elaborate on how Vichitra “Spot the Difference” relates to the concepts of ‘contrast’ or ‘differences’ and ‘similarities’ or ‘unity’?

The theme lives in the tension between what we perceive as opposites. On one side, there are contrasts—in race, culture, belief—that are splashed onto the canvas of society. But dig deeper, and you’ll see the undercurrents of unity that bind us: a heartbeat, a longing, a story. “Spot the Difference” is a meditation on this duality—the eye trained to spot differences, the soul that craves unity.

Your art style takes towards the surreal and outlandish. With the blood bags in this installation, how do you merge your graphic representations with more human narratives?

Surrealism allows me to distil complex truths into something that feels almost dreamlike—until it strikes you as more real than reality. The blood bags are stark, yes, but they’re also deeply human. They represent our raw, shared essence, stripped of superficial identifiers. It’s about weaving the clinical with the poignant so that what first appears grotesque or strange becomes a mirror of our collective story.

By reimagining the childhood game Spot the Difference, you’re playing with innocence versus ingrained biases. How did this concept emerge as a metaphor for societal conditioning, and what emotions do you hope to evoke through this juxtaposition?

The game itself is an innocent exercise, something that delights children. But what happens when we bring that innocence into adulthood, where ‘spotting differences’ becomes an automatic social reflex? It’s a metaphor for how we’re trained, often unknowingly, to categorize and divide. I want visitors to feel an unsettling shift—from the nostalgic to the sobering—as they realize that this conditioning isn’t just a game but a lens through which they’ve been taught to see the world.

In “Spot the Difference”, viewers are confronted with images that challenge superficial identifiers. What role does repetition play in the installation, particularly with the looping of the monologue? How do you see it affecting viewers’ internal reflections on difference?

Repetition is a powerful disruptor. The looping monologue creates a rhythmic echo, a constant reminder that forces the mind to stay with the message. It’s not something you can dismiss after a single glance. That relentlessness mirrors how ingrained our biases are—deeply repetitive, and habitual. I hope that as viewers stand there, immersed in that loop, they begin to question their cycles of thought.

Art installations often invite multiple interpretations. How would you describe the ideal takeaway for someone visiting “Spot the Difference”, and do you envision this installation as an ongoing conversation for viewers?

I would hope visitors walk away with a heightened awareness, a question stuck in their mind: Why do I notice what I notice? Ideally, this installation isn’t just something they see but something they carry with them, a conversation that continues in the quiet spaces of their thoughts, in how they observe themselves and others long after they leave.

In our increasingly divided world, what impact do you hope “Spot the Difference” will have on audiences beyond the ART Mumbai exhibit? How do you envision the message of this work reaching and resonating with a wider audience?

The hope is for the message to ripple out, to reach places where these questions are needed most—schools, community spaces, and online forums. “Spot the Difference” is about planting a seed of discomfort that can inspire reflection and dialogue beyond gallery walls. It’s about igniting that small, vital spark that reminds us that, beneath our superficial separations, the core of what we share is far more significant.

Hero and Feature images: Courtesy Tejal Patni