‘Unhoming’ is a powerful, artistic response to the traumatic realities of displacement
Exhibit 320, the distinguished contemporary art gallery founded by Rasika Kajaria, once again takes center stage in the art world with its upcoming exhibition, Unhoming: Fragile Belonging. This deeply affecting show offers a powerful, artistic response to the traumatic realities of displacement, systemic violence, and the loss of home, with a particular focus on the ongoing crisis in Gaza. Curated by Deeksha Nath, the exhibition explores the profound emotional and psychological toll of being uprooted, examining how the concepts of home, identity, and belonging are fractured by the forces of migration and oppression.
Through a rich array of works—paintings, drawings, prints, sculptures, and installations—Unhoming features the work of renowned artists including Zarina Hashmi, Nilima Sheikh, BV Suresh, Praneet Soi, Martand Khosla, Sumakshi Singh, Remen Chopra W Van Der Vaart, Vishwa Shroff, Vikrant Bhise, Deepak Kumar, and Sareena Khemka. The term ‘unhoming’ encapsulates the profound dislocation that occurs when individuals are torn from both their physical environments and the cultural, emotional, and psychological foundations of their lives. It reflects a loss that transcends the mere absence of shelter, reaching into the very heart of identity, community, and security.
The exhibition examines how forced migration and systemic oppression redefine the essence of belonging. It compels viewers to reconsider not just the meaning of home, but also the value society places on human life and the dignity of those who are displaced. As millions continue to flee Gaza and other war-torn regions, Unhoming takes on an urgent resonance, highlighting the moral dissonance many feel as they witness violence while remaining secure in their own homes.
At its core, Unhoming is a meditation on the fragility of belonging in a world where displacement is often treated as a transient condition, rather than a profound rupture that reshapes lives and identities. Through the works on display, the exhibition explores how displaced individuals are often dehumanised—labeled as migrants, refugees, or asylum seekers—and relegated to the margins of society. This alienation speaks to a deeper crisis of identity, where being ‘unhomed’ implies not only a loss of shelter but also a severance from culture, community, and self.
The exhibition goes beyond the mere physicality of home, urging viewers to consider its symbolic weight: home as a place of memory, security, and belonging. In doing so, Unhoming challenges us to rethink what it means to belong, and to reflect on the societal inequities that arise when people are stripped of their homes, their identities, and their dignity. Through these works, Deeksha and the artists invite us to engage in a larger conversation about the shared human experience of displacement, and the urgent need for empathy and justice in an increasingly fractured world.
December 9 to January 9, 11 am to 6.30 pm (Monday - Saturday).
At Exhibit 320, F-320, Old M B Road, Chatri Wala Kuan, Lado Sarai, New Delhi.
