Bose Krishnamachari’s works are socio-politically driven, fleshed out in ironies and subversions. From his abstractions to installations, the primary focus of his work has always been the world around him, his encounters with people, the power dynamics within, and how he perceives them all. The role of bureaucracy is either upfront or subtly in background. By incorporating new media, his intention and impact becomes greater in terms of network and interactivity.
In his installationWhite Builders and Red Carpets, 2008, the artist creates a press conference tableau complete with imposing chairs, which are reminiscent of modern architectural forms in a city’s skyline, and the table fitted with microphones belonging to the frenetic multitude of news channels. This becomes a take on powerful players ‘manufacturing consent’ using the media as the narrator. The general populace is left with narratives, clearly spoken and edited to fit what the powerful leaders would want the common man to hear, giving impetus to their own personal desires in the name of collective welfare.

Bose Krishnamachari, White Ghost And The Red Carpet, 2008,mixed media, 1 Table (corean on wood, 192 x 36.5 x 39.5”), 13 Chairs (72” high, width & barred variable) Red carpet (252 x ;216”), 13 black coats (white corean on wood), 108 Mikes with cables and stands.

Bose Krishnamachari’sArt Car on display.

Union Minister of State for Food and Civil Supplies K V Thomas , Mayor Tony Chammany, Dominic Presentation MLA, former Minister M A Baby, artists Riyas Komu and Bose Krishnamachari at the conclusion of Kochi Muziris Biennale 2012 at Fort Kochi
The city of Mumbai has been a constant source of inspiration for Bose’s work. From his days in the early 1980s as a student in JJ School of Art, he has tried to imbibe himself in the fabric of the city, soaking in all experiences the city could offer. “It is a city of people not of ‘djinns’; it is a city of life, not of tombs; it is a city of ‘chawls’, not of historic ruins. The life here always inspires me. Even if I had the opportunity to live in any other city, I don’t think I would give up Mumbai”, says Bose
His enchanting encounters with the city lead to Ghost/Transmemoir, 2008, where the artist mapped Mumbai using 108 tiffin boxes with LCD monitors fitted within. The videos in the tiffins served as voices of Mumbai residents, serving as multi-faceted portraits of Mumbaikars. The tiffins in the city of Mumbai portray an iconic sign of the everyday, people ferrying lunch in them to offices around the city. Collectively the installation represents the chaos and bustle of the city, while every tiffin is a portrayal of their thoughts, joy, frustration, emotions, and religion individually.
In another attempt to understand the psyche of Mumbaikars, he made a series of 108 photographic portraits of his friends in Mumbai. The large-scale portraits attempt to delve into the individual amidst the scores who arrive in Mumbai for a better start in life. He believes in tracing the invisible threads that connect all in the city.

Bose Krishnamachari, Ghost/Transmemoir, 2008,108 used tiffins with LCD monitors, amplifiers, DVD players, headphones, cables, jute ropes, scaffolding, wood, 90 (height) x 150” (diameter).

Bose Krishnamachari, Mumbaikar/Host-Passport series (108 works), digital print on Museum portfolio rag, cine-screen, ball-point grid and Corean frame,16 x 16 x 2.6” each.

From the Mumbaikar/Host-Passport series.
Bose Krishmachari’s works exude brightness and dynamism brought forth by his use of vivid colours in his works—right from his paintings to multi-media installations. For him colours play a significant role in creating a new language. “I believe that colours can play a magical role and transform a body. They can sculpt something that is formless or abstract. They share positive vibes and represent maximum freshness, happiness, depth, layers and texture,” says Bose.
His series Stretched Bodies employs bright primary colours and offers up in poses to create new forms. They create striking new visualities, all narrations and abstractions in colour.

Bose Krishnamachari, Stretched Bodies 5, 2005, acrylic on canvas, 24 x 18”.