You walk into a darkened room not knowing what to expect and suddenly, in front of you, is a cascading waterfall of mist, or it could be smoke. Cutting through it is a curtain of more solid mist, and you realise there is some text projected on to this curtain. Slowly, this rolls down, and then you can see it on the dark floor of the cool, high-ceilinged room you are standing in. You scurry away, not wanting to stop this flow of words, but undeterred, the letter-because that's what it is; a letter written by Mahatma Gandhi to Adolf Hitler in 1939, almost on the eve of World War II-carries on unfurling its message, which is by turns strident and pleading. "We have found in non-violence a force which, if organized, can without doubt match itself against a combination of all the most violent forces in the world. In non-violent technique, as I have said, there is no such thing as defeat," wrote Gandhi from Wardha, Maharashtra, and, standing in a converted warehouse in Kochi, Kerala, in 2023, the haunting echo of his words comes to us through mist and mirrors.
The installation is Jitish Kallat's 2012 work Covering Letter, and in conjunction with a more recent show curated by him, Tangled Hierarchy 2, which also takes as its focal point Gandhi's written words, it forms a nucleus of meaning at the KochiMuziris Biennale (KMB) 2022-23.
So much art is concentrated into the few square kilometres of the picturesque neighbourhood of Fort Kochi that it can sometimes be an overwhelming emotional and intellectual voyage. Navigating the many venues across which the biennale is spread is not just a matter of logistics-will we find the ubiquitous widebodied autos that ferry us from one venue to the other? Where can we get coffee?but also about letting the eye and the mind assimilate and make sense of the impressions being made upon them constantly.
In all this chaos of beauty, Gandhi becomes an anchor.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der January 21, 2023-Ausgabe von Mint Mumbai.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der January 21, 2023-Ausgabe von Mint Mumbai.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
Hypersonic weapons in the age of A!: Be careful
Indias hypersonic missile marks a leap and updates its nuclear deterrence. But dangers lurk in the global race for these speedy and sneaky weapons, wit/z AI -use posing new risks
How to make Elon Musk's budget-slashing dreams come true
Any serious fiscal policies must go through Congress. That may end up being the key test of DOGE and Trump
BOREDOM: THE INVISIBLE CAUSE OF RISING ATTRITION
They deliver on the job, but many employees are just going through the motions with one eye on the exits
Viksit Bharat needs big plans and coordinated action
Let's transform manufacturing and agriculture, decarbonize the economy and unleash growth led by women
Indonesia will need to tread a fine line after T rump's return
Jez/farms relations with China mustn,t send out the wrong signals
What if Donald Trump keeps his promises on economic policy?
The 2024 US election is one of those rare instances where there is palpable fem that the winner will actually follow through
The Indian state is still to fully unshackle our economy
Economic success needs the state to function as an enlightened referee and be less statist
Let's tackle the harsh realities of mental health at the workplace
Ensure an inclusive work environment with policies of reasonable accommodation and support
How working abroad gives young Indians a wealth edge back home
Working overseas gives them the advantage to earn in stronger currencies and benefit from exchange rates
FALLING MARKETS ARE JUST WHAT YOU NEED: HERE'S WHY
For some of you, a market downturn may be an ideal time for a complete financial reset