Mumbai’s first contemporary gallery, Chemould Prescott Road’s art show curated by Shaleen Wadhwan and titled CheMoulding: Futuring — Part II presents six decades of Indian contemporary art. This homage embraces not just the strokes of artistic genius but also the very frame that shaped and continues to shape the landscape of Indian art. In the fluidity of its name, Chemould transforms into a verb, an action ticking since its inception in 1963 — an act of fearlessly crafting harbours for expression. Yet, these abbeys, these spaces of autonomy, stand precariously contested in our present and the looming future.
Within the embrace of its 60-year milestone, the gallery constructs an archive pulsating with architectural motifs, visual chronicles, the vibrance of Parsi heritage, cartographic whispers, narratives, correspondences, relics and blueprints. This repository doesn’t merely stand as a testament to the past; it breathes life into the endeavours of today and tomorrow.
The display is a tale spun in two parts. First, Framing, unfolds a raw introspection, inviting us to gaze upon our past selves with unflinching honesty, contemplating the ‘what-ifs’ that might have shaped our narratives differently.
Then comes the second act, Futuring. Here, we insist on rubbernecking beyond the confines of our current reality, becoming active architects of the future. Futurists in our own right, we confront the timeless verities — love, sorrow, displacement and the eternal tussle with the unfamiliar.
This exhibition fits as a cautionary retelling, exerting archival wisdom as a shield against a future steeped in distrust and division, spotlighting the dangers of ‘othering’ that perpetuate contemporary strife. The records of dissent, etched within these archives, resonate in a world increasingly dominated by narratives of erasure and the biases ingrained within our very systems.
Participating artists:
Anju Dodiya, Aditi Singh, CAMP + Mohit Shelare, Himanshu S & aqui T, Dayanita Singh, Gulammohammed Sheikh, Jitish Kallat, Lavanya Mani, L N Tallur, Nilima Sheikh, Pushpamala N, Rashid Rana, Reena Saini Kallat and Yardena Kurulkar.
On till December 23.
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