Art Residency
These works are part of the collaborative exhibition from the COMMON GROUND Decolonial Art Residency. Exhibited at Haus der Statistik, Berlin, my dual projection installation explored identity as ever-evolving, shaped by personal experiences and cultural influences. Interactive art-making invited viewers to engage with shifting narratives of self and society. Alongside this, my installation Anatomy of a Migrant’s Shoe captured the poignant migration of the Sindhi community during India’s 1947 partition. Both works delve into the complexities of identity, belonging, and resilience, inviting reflection on personal and collective histories.
Date
July 2024
Medium
Interactive Installation, Video art, Performance
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About
The dual projection installation juxtaposes personal narratives with cultural contexts, exploring the interplay of private and public spheres in shaping identity. One screen features intimate stories of participating artists, while the other reflects broader cultural influences through live audience interactions. Viewers engage their senses, tracing their identities through sound and visual participation.
In our exploration of identity through the dual projection video installation, we manifest a narrative that embodies the simultaneous revelation of the personal and the collective. This setup allows viewers to perceive identity as a fluid construct, influenced by personal choices and broader societal narratives. The personal screen delves into the nuanced emotions and experiences that define one’s self-perception. Side by side, the cultural projection emphasizes the external factors and heritage that inform and mould these personal experiences.
Purpose
The dynamic interaction between the two projections invites viewers to reflect on how identities are not formed in isolation but are an interplay of internal desires and external influences. By positioning these projections next to live artistic interactions, where participants actively create art, we further blend the lines between the viewer and creator, between the observed and the expressive.
This manifesto calls for a deeper engagement with the multifaceted layers of identity, urging a dialogue that acknowledges the complex, often contradictory forces that craft our sense of self and community. In doing so, we celebrate the rich tapestry of human experience, marked by diverse narratives that both distinguish and unite us.
Identity in motion.
Anatomy of a
Migrants shoe
About
The art installation ‘Anatomy of a Migrants shoe’ is designed to capture the poignant and significant aspects of the Sindhi community’s migration during the India’s 1947 partition. This evocative work aims to inspire empathy and reflection on the journeys, struggles, and resilience of migrants, inviting viewers to step into the narrative of displacement and survival.
Purpose
This installation serves as a tribute to the Sindhi community’s resilience and cultural heritage, highlighting the historical significance and human impact of India’s 1947 Partition. By fostering empathy, understanding, and remembrance, it connects visitors to the historical and often incomplete journeys of migrants—both physical and emotional.
Significance of Found Objects
All the elements in this installation, from the worn shoe to the brittle branches, were sourced from the streets and parks of Berlin. These abandoned objects—once part of someone’s life but now forgotten—embody the fragmented and displaced nature of migration. The shoe, representing movement, and the branches, symbolizing uprooting, reflect the physical and emotional toll of forced migration.
The choice to use found objects from Berlin creates a parallel between the Sindhi community’s displacement in 1947 and the broader, universal experience of migrants across time and borders. These everyday items, stripped of their original context, remind us of the lives and stories left behind in the chaos of migration. This layering of materials transforms the installation into a bridge between past and present, between the Sindhi community’s journey and those of countless migrants who navigate loss and resilience in search of belonging.
Roots in movement
Performance
Carrying a fallen tree from Treptower Park to Haus der Statistik, this endurance performance left a trail of impact across the city. The journey, captured in video and placed within its branches, tells the story of transformation—of decay feeding new growth. Though lifeless, the tree reminds us that death and renewal are in constant dialogue beneath our feet.
What must we let decay to allow something new to emerge?
Purpose
The tree roots us in shared existence, while capitalist structures sever us from nature’s cycles. As the earth vibrates beneath our steps, it calls us to dismantle, reshape, and reclaim. This installation invites you into a multi-sensory experience—where memory, scent, and movement converge in the underlands.
Transformation begins at the smallest scale. As we step forward, we co-create the futures we seek.
