BENGALURU, India, Aug. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Zinnov Foundation debuted a new-media art installation at Confluence 2026 that put visitors under real-time surveillance, using the experience to open a wider conversation about how technology is changing the way people encounter public spaces.
Unveiled on Confluence’s opening day, The Eye That Remembers is the work of artist Siddharth Kaneria, selected through an open call. The installation featured a grid of obsolete television sets displaying handcrafted cyanotype human eyes. Real-time tracking made the eyes follow visitors as they moved through the space, reversing the usual relationship between viewer and artwork.
The work juxtaposed the memory and imperfection of human vision with the pattern recognition of machine vision, bringing questions of privacy, agency, and observation into a direct and personal experience.
“Art in public spaces becomes meaningful when it changes how we experience a space, even for a moment,” said Yamini Telkar, Director, Public Spaces Initiative, Zinnov Foundation. “This installation makes the viewer part of the work itself. As AI enters transit systems and community spaces, the questions it raises increasingly extend into how those spaces are designed and experienced.”
“Art in a public space has to earn its place by changing how people move through that space, not just how it looks,” said Shanthamani Muddaiah, Visual Artist and Creative Advisor, Zinnov Foundation. “The Eye That Remembers does that by making visitors part of the system they are observing. It offers a direct way to experience questions around surveillance that are otherwise difficult to make tangible.”
The installation extended into Zinnov Foundation’s fireside conversation, “How Public Infrastructure Can Shape the Identity of a City,” which brought the discussion into the context of Bengaluru’s evolving transit and community infrastructure. The Foundation also convened an invitation-only corporate roundtable on “The Corporate Value Proposition: Transforming Public Spaces into Places,” exploring how businesses can approach public-space interventions through the lens of accessibility, community needs, sustainability, and long-term value.
“At Confluence 2026, we used art to raise a question that is increasingly relevant to how cities are designed and experienced,” said Heena Pari, Visual Artist and Chair, Zinnov Foundation. “Public spaces influence how people experience their cities, and as technology becomes more embedded in those spaces, thoughtful design and community context become even more important.”
The conversations at Confluence 2026 reinforced Zinnov Foundation’s focus on bringing creative practice, civic thinking, and cross-sector collaboration into the way public spaces are imagined and developed. Through this work, the Foundation continues to explore how cities can adopt new technologies while keeping public spaces inclusive, accessible, and responsive to the people who use them.
About Zinnov Foundation
The Zinnov Foundation stands at the forefront of reimagining lived environments through its groundbreaking Public Spaces Initiative. Following the successful launch of their comprehensive Guidance Document for art in public spaces, the Foundation has established a four-pillar approach to transform landscapes. Their methodology encompasses raising awareness about the importance of accessible public spaces, assimilating networks of artists and urban planners, providing expert advisory services, and taking direct action through implementing art projects and conducting research.
What distinguishes the Zinnov Foundation is its holistic vision of creating inclusive, sustainable public spaces that serve as catalysts for community engagement and urban revitalization. By bringing together diverse stakeholders from the private sector, civil society, and creative fields, the Foundation is building an ecosystem that can translate their guidance framework into tangible improvements in urban life. Their commitment extends beyond theoretical approaches to practical implementation, with initiatives ranging from educational outreach to hands-on creation of art installations that enhance public spaces while reflecting community identity and cultural richness.
More information is available at https://zinnovfoundation.org/publicspaces/
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