An exhibition by Khoj will display works by six artists, who participated in a residency programme and were inspired by life around Khirki village. By Trisha Mukherjee
Bizarre patterns created in wood, cement and art works made out of trash will be part of Peers 2014. The forthcoming exhibition by Khoj will offer a glimpse into the work of budding artists. “Peers is a residency programme where young artists experiment and interact with the larger creative community. It emphasises on the importance of free experimentation and risk taking in art practice. In the process, it helps the participants to build relationship with students from different art backgrounds,” says Pooja Sood, director of Khoj.
The artists are chosen after a rigorous selection by a jury consisting of eminent artists. Peers 2014 is the 11th edition of this education and outreach programme. It will begin from June 19 and will display art works by six artists, who have been sharing space in the Khirki village for the past four weeks. Although isolated from one another, their works stem from a common muse, the Khirki community.
Sangita Maity hailing from Kanthi in West Bengal has been working on the tribal population located near the borders of Odisha and Jharkhand. And her Khoj project too, revolves around the same. “I am researching on different professions that lead to migration of labour. I have been interacting with people at labour chowk for quite some time now, and have invited some of them to my studio to create something out of their skills but it has to be different from the regular job that they do. I will present my research along with the art work that these labourers will come up with. It may communicate to the viewers the socio-cultural and political situation of migrant labourers,” informs Sangita.
Amshu MS, who deals with videos, installations and photography, looks forward to telling a story about the Khirki community by incorporating narrative elements of filmmaking. “Cinema and cinematic language have been my major inspiration. At Khoj, I have currently been working with footage shot around the area with sculptural video installations and assemblage,” he says.
Sanket Jadia is pursuing Masters in Visual Arts from Ambedkar University. His works reflect a conscious effort to look around for visible and non-visible politics involved in constructing an identity for the so called obvious things in life. Working with the unconventional medium of white cement, he attempts to coagulate, the lucid, ever changing forms. “I cast mundane objects of daily use like plastic bottles and give them a broken look. I try to represent them in an alternate perspective,” he says.
Ragini Bhow explores material relationships that develop from aesthetic observations, visceral exchanges and conversations. At Khoj she has continued this journey through experiences and observations of light and space. “With these arrangements, I try to draw a narrative of human relationships that have developed from aesthetic exchanges and intimate conversations. I have made sculptures with wood, paint and photos,” says Ragini.
Other artists whose works will be on display include Dheer Kaku, who works with different patterns, and Diptej Vernekar who specialises in creating art from discarded and waste materials.