CLAD in a vibrant saree, a domestic worker is seen atop a cycle, riding confidently towards a busy, residential space in Gurugram, as though gearing up for the day ahead. Another migrant worker is seen walking next to her bicycle, engrossed in conversation on her mobile phone, probably getting daily updates about her hometown from her relative.
These two scenes come alive on canvas in the paintings by self-taught artist Hari Krishnan, who presents vignettes of livelihood cyclists. However, it is not just their commute to work that he showcases here; the artist also gives the viewer a glimpse of the domestic worker’s resilience and how self-sufficient she feels thanks to this mode of transport. Krishnan’s—he is the founder of CultureDrum, a creative think tank—work is part of the exhibition Two Wheels Gurugram, which is on display at the Museo Camera, Centre for Photographic Arts, Gurugram, starting Wednesday. Organised by Sustainable Mobility Network—a pan-India network of 20+ organisations working towards sustainable transport and mobility—along with Raahgiri—a Gurugram-based charitable trust that is zealously working towards making roads safe and combatting air pollution—this exhibition is centred on highlighting the need for improved cycling infrastructure in the city.
Gearing up for good
Through the works of six artists—Seema Singh Dua, Richa Kedia, Adity Raj, Hari Krishnan, Nehmat Mongia, and Sreelakshmi M—across mediums, this exhibition takes a look at various aspects of cycling: both as an urban lifestyle and for livelihood. Krishnan, who has also curated this event, shares, “We’ve been planning this since October, and wanted to create a conversation around safe streets for cyclists and cycling infrastructure. Whether it is a livelihood or lifestyle cyclist, cycling is a cleaner mode of transport, and it makes you fitter. So the idea is to fulfil many purposes by a conversation [exhibition] like this.”
Talking to us about why such an exhibition is the need of the hour, Sarika Panda Bhatt, co-founder and trustee, Raahgiri Foundation, said, “Subhendu Banerjee [the Gurugram-based cyclist who lost his life last week] was one of us, which is why there’s so much anger. But, two weeks prior to that incident, two livelihood cyclists were run over in Golf Course Extension Road. That’s not much talked about because they don’t have any voice. The idea of this exhibition is to see how we can work towards their rights and safety, because they don’t have any choice except to use cycling as their mode of transport. Another aspect is to promote cycling as sustainable mobility.”
Through their works, artists Aditya Raj and Seema Singh Dua highlight the joy of cycling, while Nehmat Mongia tries to express the anxiety that cyclists feel while on the road. Richa Kedia, on the other hand, has on display sketches from her nature journal, often from scenes she’s witnessed while riding a bicycle. Speaking about her work Save Lungs, an installation crafted using waste spare parts of cycles, shared, “The concept is about how cycling is better for your health and the environment. It is one of the easiest and cheapest ways of commuting and also helps reduce pollution, only to make our lungs more healthy.”
CHECK IT OUT
WHAT: ‘Two Wheels Gurugram’
WHEN: Till December 11; 11:00am to 7:00pm (Closed on Mondays)
WHERE: Museo Camera Centre for the Photographic Arts, DLF Phase IV, Gurugram