This is an archive article published on April 28, 2019

A Moment in Time

Manjot Kaur’s art comments on socio-political issues

Written by: Parul

3 min readApr 28, 2019 05:59 AM IST

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Artist Manjot Kaur’s works on display

This is an exhibition that makes you uncomfortable, questions your perception of the times you inhabit and forces you to think about your role in society and the environment. Multi-disciplinary artist Manjot Kaur spent close to three years working on “Paradoxically Absurd”, an exhibition that addresses socio-political issues through art and discusses the connection between the two fields. Organised by the Punjab Lalit Kala Akademi, the exhibition depicts the dichotomies of life.

The artist has worked with a wide range of media, including books, installation, video (2D animation and time-lapse), sound and interactive performances to inquire about the socio-political and anthropological concerns. “The basis of my art practice is to respond to things around me, issues that are relevant to me and in the process, attempt to understand the ever-evolving nature of life and how nature and humans adapt to changing and sometimes hostile environment,” says Kaur, who uses science, drawings, literature, digital images, objects and statistics to initiate a dialogue on social, cultural and personal issues.

In the work Absent Presence she uses a total of 108 slides and a microscope, to investigate the notion of identity and existence. Samples of the presented microscopic slides feature details of plants, flowers, insects and the human body. “The work generates an experience of wonder, which indirectly makes the spectator more conscious of every action,” says Kaur, who did her MFA in painting from Government College of Art, Chandigarh, and has participated in several national and international residencies.

The installation Constant Motion looks at chemical reactions. It features a single-channel video projection and live interface of a website to address the paradox — the crisis of population growth and the scarcity of resources in India. The chemical reaction becomes a metaphor, where precious silver is perceived as human beings and poisonous copper nitrate as the environment in which human beings are living.

The work P for Pink, P for Pesticide, P for Poison focuses on the social, political, ethical and environmental implications of the green revolution. The project is an interface between art, science and technology, and explores how nature and humans adapt to changing and sometimes hostile environment. The work Sustaining Collapse refers to the black smog that dominates north India due to stubble burning of farmlands. The work uses the format of a graphic book, with stories of the delicate environmental system threatened by uncontrolled exploitation. Global warming, environmental degradation and globalisation are the other issues that the artist addresses through her work. Potato Glut is an installation that reflects on the situation when farmers — out of sheer compulsion of having no other option to store or sell their potato production — dump the produce on the streets every year. Due to low prices in the wholesale market and no buyers for their produce, potato growers do not return to cold storage warehouses to reclaim their products, which then rot. “These are stories of our times that I attempt to share,” says Kaur.

Parul

Parul is a Principal Correspondent at The Indian Express in Chandigarh. She is a seasoned journalist with over 25 years of experience specializing in public health, higher education, and the architectural heritage of Northern India. Professional Profile Education: Graduate in Humanities with a specialized focus on Journalism and Mass Communication from Panjab University, Chandigarh. Career Path: She began her career covering local city beats and human interest stories before joining The Indian Express in 2009. Over the last decade and a half, she has risen to the rank of Principal Correspondent, becoming the publication’s primary voice on Chandigarh’s premier medical and academic institutions. Expertise: Her reporting is deeply rooted in the institutional dynamics of PGIMER (Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research) and Panjab University. She is highly regarded for her ability to navigate complex administrative bureaucracies to deliver student-centric and patient-centric news. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2024 - 2025) Her recent work highlights critical reporting on healthcare infrastructure, academic governance, and urban culture: 1. Public Health & PGIMER "PGIMER expands digital registry: Centralized patient records to reduce wait times by 40%" (Nov 20, 2025): A detailed look at the digital transformation of one of India's busiest medical institutes to tackle patient influx. "Robotic Surgery at PGI: Why the new urology wing is a game-changer for North India" (Oct 12, 2025): Reporting on the acquisition of state-of-the-art medical technology and its impact on affordable healthcare. "Shortage of life-saving drugs: Inside the supply chain crisis at government pharmacies" (Dec 5, 2025): An investigative piece on the logistical hurdles affecting chronic patients in the tri-city area. 2. Education & Institutional Governance "Panjab University Senate Election: The battle for institutional autonomy" (Dec 18, 2025): In-depth coverage of the high-stakes internal elections and the friction between traditional governance and central reforms. "Research funding dip: How PU’s science departments are navigating the 2025 budget cuts" (Nov 5, 2025): An analysis of the fiscal challenges facing researchers and the impact on India's global academic ranking. 3. Art, Culture & Heritage "Le Corbusier’s legacy in peril: The struggle to preserve Chandigarh’s Capitol Complex" (Dec 22, 2025): A feature on the conservation efforts and the tension between urban modernization and UNESCO heritage status. "Chandigarh Art District: How street murals are reclaiming the city’s grey walls" (Oct 30, 2025): A cultural profile of the local artists transforming the aesthetic of the "City Beautiful." Signature Style Parul is known for her empathetic lens, often centering her stories on the individuals affected by policy—whether it is a student navigating university red tape or a patient seeking care. She possesses a unique ability to translate dense administrative notifications into actionable information for the public. Her long-standing beat experience makes her a trusted source for "inside-track" developments within Chandigarh’s most guarded institutions. X (Twitter): @parul_express ... Read More

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