Homing In

This site-specific installation,which opens its doors to the public on November 7,demands meticulous planning. This is evident when Seth points to 12 transparent tiffin boxes — each neatly labelled as staircase,lobby,library,bedroom and so on — as she tries to explain her take on “space” within the context of contemporary art. As she opens the boxes,she admits with a mock-guilty look,“I am very organised.” Each box contains smaller images of the paintings of household objects which will go on to create different rooms conceived by her.

The experience of the show starts from the point of access — the wooden staircase that leads to the gallery. The wall of the staircase will be draped with images of the vehicular world. At the end of the ascent will be a doorbell and a CCTV on the top of the wall facing it. “All these are paintings on metals,” she says. In fact,all the works on display at the show,barring ‘the study room’ that showcases her photographs,are done on metal instead of canvas. This is because Seth has always been drawn to the rawness of plain paint and metal. “Since most of my paintings are in the form of signage,I have chosen metal surface over canvas,” adds Seth,who has been a production designer for films like Deepa Mehta’s Fire and Earth and Hollywood venture The Bourne Supremacy,among others.

Inside the gallery,the real space is merged with Seth’s vision of a home. Its library walls adorned with paintings of books,sofa and book-selves. The living room has a painting of a huge sofa flanked by images of a Blackberry and an iPad,interpreting modern-day communication. On a wall diagonally opposite,are six images of as many chairs of various shapes and styles placed next to each other with a coffee tray and cake. “There is a dialogue going on here with these chairs — old and modern — put together,” she says. Adjacent to the library is the dining area which leads to the study,then kids room,master bedroom,kitchen,storage space and toilets. “I have used every inch of the gallery’s space. On its balcony,I am going to install the painting of a swimming pool,” she says. Though swimming pools usually have palm trees around them,this one has banana trees. “I have drawn these images from memory,” she says. With a sharp eye for detail,Seth has created this installation by using symbols,nostalgia and observation for a very intimate experience of “what is home”.

As she does to build film sets,Seth has created most of the exhibits with the help of her assistants even though the concept is hers. “I have created some of the objects from memory. Some are photographs converted into paintings,” she says. A documentary filmmaker,Seth always took photographs wherever she travelled,and preserved them. Some of the photographs on display were taken nearly a decade ago.

Seth’s show has unwittingly become an excuse for a family get-together. On Friday,the day before her exhibition opens,her brother Vikram Seth will attend the second edition of Mumbai’s Literature Live festival for a preview of his next book of poetry,The Rivered Earth. Their parents Leila and Prem Seth too will be in town. “Vikram was going to come for my show when he was approached to attend the festival. It’s nice that the family will be together for both the events,” she says excitedly.