Some exhibitions give us a bodily jolt, goosebumps.T hey spark a Eureka moment, a shift in our thinking. I cannot produce a long list of artworks that have done that for me, but Sakshi Gupta's Spaces of Being is certainly one.
The work is a life-size sculpture made with reclaimed industrial metal, and depicts the many compartments of a packed chicken coop. It contains hundreds of birds - baby chicks, hens, roosters all attempting to break free from the confines of the grid they are stuck within. Some birds lay in deep crevasses between or behind others, and a few outside the frame. They appear in all sizes, shapes, with varied feathers and scales, some young and others old, and parts of the work have fragments of dismembered limbs. Gupta defines them as "irrational, grotesque, pathetic and simultaneously seductive, poetic and even comical - all at once," in her note on the 2023 show If the Seas Catch Fire, at which the work was exhibited.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Staying well within range
Driving from Mumbai to Mahabaleshwar in an XC40 Recharge at night means going against the odds but it's not dangerous
Forget demure, forget mindful
Women are expected to dress their age. But why should arbitrary numbers dictate anyone's choices? Wear what you want, when you want
Bubbling under, boiling over
The year's best food yet, from Bandra to Seoul, from old names and new, from starters to afters
The new spin doctors
Come for the hooping, stay for fire poi, dapostar, leviwand and more. India's newest subculture blends art and athletics, meditation and showmanship, public and private. And it looks great on the 'gram
Shall we put a label on this?
What is high fructose corn syrup? Is red dye good? Dieticians and nutritionists break down the confusing stuff we see on food labels
Pho heaven's sake, explore!
There's more to Vietnam than the Golden Bridge or Ha Long Bay. Discover limestone cliffs, rice terraces, and local foods that haven't made it to the 'gram
No. Wait. She did what?
These mean girls are self-centred, bratty, and can make your life hell. But they stole the show. Read on, loser. And tell us how it wasssss
Are you seeing spots too?
Jyoti Bhatt's serigraphs use traditional symbols in modern ways, creating art that is slyly clever and full of little stories
Leave us to our own devices
Instead of banning gadgets, restaurants should ban people that are actually disturbing the peace
Siam Siam, but different
The reason Indians feel instantly at home in Thailand is because their mix of Hindu and Buddhist traditions so closely mirrors our own, creating a comfort zone abroad