Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram
Tags:
Journalism of Courage
Eating is crucial to our existence. But does the kind of food we consume stem from our cultural and societal backgrounds? Its a question that seven artists on a month-long residency project at Khojs Artists Association are attempting to answer through an exhibition,titled In Context: Public. Art. Ecology: Food Edition II.
The white confines of Khoj Studios nestled in the alleyways of Khirkee village have transformed into a food factory. Different aromas of stewing vegetables waft through the air as you approach the entrance. Once inside,a network of PVC pipes to deliver food climb along a wall.
Most installations examine the cultural context of food. While Lipika Bansals Chatpati Stories documents shopping experiences of Khirki women through interesting collages,audio files and personal experiences; artists Agat Sharma and Ambika Joshi examine the consumption-driven urban space through their interactive installation,Edible Ontologies. The duo urge the audience to buy and package their own marmalade and cookies by branding it with quirky words like Karbanker,Career dangling triathlon and Muscular uptheritis. Through such branding we wanted to juxtapose the branded products in shopping malls,which revolve around the concept of consumerism, says Sharma.
The interactive relief comes through in Austrian artist Rainer Prohaskas work,titled Spice? ,which is an ironic take on the concept of Indian cooking without the use of spices. He invites his audience to make French soup by chopping vegetables and cooking them in a steel vessel,with salt as the only spice. The vegetables serve as a metaphor of mixing many ingredients in an Indian dish,and salt is added to make a statement that dishes can be cooked with a single spice, explains Prohaska. Though most installations were only interactive on the opening day,the artists have documented their efforts,which are being showcased at Khoj.
The exhibition is on at Khoj Studios,S-17,Khirkee Extension,till April 23. Contact: 65655873
Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram
