A new artwork by Delhi-based artist duo Thukral and Tagra is now on display on the hoarding at Arts Centre Melbourne along St Kilda Road between Hamer Hall and the Theatres Building as part of Asia TOPA.

Thukral and Tagra, comprised of Jiten Thukral and Sumir Tagra, have been working collaboratively for over two decades on immersive and multi-modal sensory installations that engage in the cultural and political landscape of India and the world.

They travel to Melbourne in February to deliver their new project Bread, Circuses and Home, a free public installation and mini-festival held at Fed Square as part of Asia TOPA. Thukral and Tagra created this artwork in response to Bread, Circuses and Home and its ideas on migration and resilience.

The eye-catching artwork, titled Dominus Aeris, explores themes of family, aspirations, and value. The work draws inspiration from the architecture of Indian state Punjab, echoing the houses of Thukral and Tagra’s ancestors. These houses, symbolic of migration, are portrayed as fleeting, transient homes. To create the work, the artists used the motif of water tanks and hot air balloons to celebrate the ambition and adaptability of Punjab’s communities.

“Art is the only way that offers a profound way to navigate and make sense of today’s ever-changing world” say Thukral and Tagra.

The artwork was commissioned by the Melbourne Arts Precinct Transformation (MAPT) project as part of Asia TOPA. Asia TOPA: the Asia-Pacific Triennial of Performing Arts, is a three-week, city-wide adventure of community, culture and art. The 2025 program spans breath-taking performances, art after dark, and world premieres, exhibitions and larger-than-life installations.  

Dominus Aeris is displayed on the hoarding outside Arts Centre Melbourne from February – December 2025. It is free to visit and wheelchair accessible. 

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