Audio work scares cops,switched off

Delhi-based artist Asim Waqifs public art project,Lavaris Vastu,created problems for the organisers and police at the NSIC grounds on Wednesday.

Delhi-based artist Asim Waqifs public art project,Lavaris Vastu,created problems for the organisers and police at the NSIC grounds on Wednesday. The audio element of his work,being displayed at the India Art Fair,carried an edited version of a public safety warning,usually played in markets and public areas.

Waqifs installation-artwork is a tree laden with shopping bags and uses the said audio recording in the background. The instructional audio piece,which tells people how to deal with unattended objects,has replaced Delhi Police with dil ki police.

The artist,who claims to have procured the audio from local markets,said the use of edited public safety warning is a way to reduce the paranoia and suspicion.

Ive put humour in this project,and have replaced all the crucial words. It is my way of making people listen to it with more attention as over time people have got into the habit of blanking these warnings out, said Waqif.

Speaking to Newsline the artist said he was informed by the organisers that the police had asked him to switch off the audio. Waqif,who switched the audio off for an hour,said it has caused no security hassles and that his works have harmless content.

I have received a few complaints since yesterday,when I played it last. Today,I was told to switch off the audio, the artist said. The organisers refused to comment.

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