How often have you nonchalantly walked past that old earthen pot in your kitchen, sometimes unconsciously drawing water and sometimes thinking of discarding it for a modern means? Have you ever, while cleaning your wardrobes looked as a particular piece of cloth and lost yourself in the memory of how it came to you? Or maybe a show piece, which was a gift from a childhood friend, still brings a smile to your face remembering those days? This is the edifice on which Art Alive Gallery’s ongoing exhibition ‘When Objects Speak’ rests. Displaying the creativity of two artists, Anjaneyulu G and Vipul Rathod, the gallery transforms into a space where objects take the forefront and convey a message often overlooked in everyday life.
One of the most fascinating facts about Indian contemporary art is its perception or response to a situation. Both the artists, with their varied styles, forms and mediums have responded to the statement of object impressionism in their own way; and yet they seem to merge together to continue the gallery narrative. What their works portray are objects through their lived functionality, as a vessel or memory, identity and history.
Anjaneyulu G, through his works utilise this visual arts exhibition to withdraw the functionality of an object from itself. His work draws the viewer’s attention to everyday objects, just that they are clearly devoid of their everyday functions. And by doing so, the artist tugs the heart of the viewer by displaying how objects are a crucial part of living history and emotions.
In contrast or in complement, Vipul Rathod uses papier mache to depict metaphorical meanings of the objects and places them in grid-like structures. These objects go beyond their real-life utilities and explore the depth of memory and societal structure.
Put together, both these responses and forms of work merge into an ongoing dialogue of preservation and transformation, where change is the only constant but the primary form of the object that changes is never truly forgotten.
What: When objects speak
Where: Art Alive Gallery, New Delhi
When: till July 3, 2026
Timings: 11 am – 7 pm (Sundays closed)
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