Public Art & Installations

Murals, installations, painted sculptures, and collaborations that bring pattern and South Indian visual traditions into shared spaces.

2026

Denver Chalk Art Festival

June 2026 · Denver, Colorado

Completed Denver Chalk Art Festival mandala
Chalk art in progressBala wearing purple with chalk art

Colorado Avalanche AANHPI Jersey and Cap

April 2026 · Ball Arena, Denver, Colorado

Colorado Avalanche AANHPI Jersey and Cap by Bala Thiagarajan
Colorado Avalanche AANHPI Jersey and Cap, additional view 1Colorado Avalanche AANHPI Jersey and Cap, additional view 2
Colorado Avalanche AANHPI decorated cap

Grounded Kolam Installation

January 2026 · Grounded exhibition · Center for the Arts Evergreen, Evergreen, Colorado

Grounded Kolam Installation by Bala Thiagarajan
Grounded Kolam Installation, additional view 2Bala Thiagarajan creating a kolam before an audience at Grounded

2025

The Colorado Mughal

December 2025 · Bears of Chautauqua / Art in the Park · Colorado Chautauqua, Boulder, Colorado

The Colorado Mughal by Bala Thiagarajan
The Colorado Mughal, additional view 1The Colorado Mughal, additional view 2

Expansion Mandala, Globeville Mural

August 2025 · Globeville, Denver, Colorado

Expansion Mandala, Globeville Mural by Bala Thiagarajan
Expansion Mandala mural earlier stageExpansion Mandala mural finished detail

Ephemeral Rituals Rangoli

February 2025 · Foothills Art Center, Golden, Colorado

Foothills Rangoli by Bala Thiagarajan
Bala creating the Foothills rangoli installation Completed Foothills Rangoli detail

Embrace Mandala Rangoli

January 2025 · Art of the State exhibition · Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities, Arvada, Colorado

Watch project video on YouTube

Embrace Mandala Rangoli by Bala Thiagarajan
Embrace Mandala Rangoli, additional view 2Embrace Mandala, sand rangoli detail in progress

2024

Flow Mandala, NoBo Mural

June 2024 · Emerald Warehouse, NoBo, Boulder, Colorado

Flow Mandala, NoBo Mural by Bala Thiagarajan
Flow Mandala, NoBo Mural, additional view 2Flow Mandala, second mandala detail

2023

Kolam Installation

June 2023 · Big Draw Colorado · Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities, Arvada, Colorado

Arvada Center Kolam by Bala Thiagarajan
Arvada Center Kolam, additional view 1Live kolam creation at Big Draw Colorado

2022

Baloo, the Henna Bear

December 2022 · Art in the Park / Bears of Chautauqua · Colorado Chautauqua, Boulder, Colorado

Watch project video on YouTube

Baloo, the Henna Bear by Bala Thiagarajan
Baloo, the Henna Bear, additional view 1Bala Thiagarajan beside Baloo, showing the decorated back of the sculpture

2015

Rangoli Installation

November 2015 · Rising Colors exhibition (November–December 2015) · Side Street Studios, Elgin, Illinois

Watch project video on YouTube

Completed rangoli installation at Rising Colors, Side Street Studios, November 2015
Rising Colors rangoli during installationBala beside completed Rising Colors rangoli, Side Street Studios, 2015