How do we experience memory, life, society and what does it mean when it’s constantly evolving? At the What Remains: Heritage Between Memory and the Present exhibit, artists reflect on heritage not as a static monument but as a fragile, living ecology shaped by land, memory, and material.
With Manu N, Martand Khosla, Sangam Vankhade, Saruha Kilaru, Sayantan Samanta and Sewali Deka presenting their works, the exhibition brings together practices that examine displacement, environmental loss, and the persistence of what endures.
Sayantan Samanta uses his works to highlight land and forest as forms of natural heritage under threat. “My artworks speak about how land degradation, climate change and rapid urban expansion affect sociological sustainability and our cultural framework,” he explains. His sculptural works trace what he describes as a process of “loss mapping,” addressing how cultivable land and green cover are steadily disappearing across India and globally.
Referring to their metal sculpture Opulent, he adds, “The basic shape of the sculpture is like a home, and the branches refer to the notion of forest; we are continuously suffering with urban expansion, and those species are also suffering with habitat loss.” Choosing metal as a medium was to give the feel of something very precious, positioning the material as a visual reminder of what is being lost.
In contrast, Manu N works with paper, terracotta, and salt — materials that find place in everyday life and ancient histories. Through an ongoing experiment with crystallisation, the artist grows salt crystals on terracotta forms, exploring the relationship between organic and inorganic matter. “These are very basic materials, used for thousands of years, but I’m doing it in my own way.”
Another work, Space, is made from upcycled paper taken from old books and draws on childhood memories of building temporary shelters. “That space we used to create when we were kids, such as covering chairs with bed sheets to make forts — that is what the work is about,” Manu shares.Together, What Remains: Heritage Between Memory and the Present ask viewers to pause and reconsider what heritage means to them.
Free entry.
On till March 5, 11 am to 7 pm.
At Dhi Contemporary, Madhapur.
Email: anshula.u@newindianexpress.com
X: @indulgexpress
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