OF LABOUR LOST

Painter, photographer and sculptor Gigi Scaria finds Sheba Chhachhi’s installation Itbari Khan ke Haath historically significant for its comment on society
Many artwork have left an impression on my mind, but the one that seems to have stayed on with me so far is Itbari Khan ke Haath, made by Sheba Chhachhi during a residency organised by Khoj International Artists’ Association in Modinagar, Uttar Pradesh in 1999. I had just completed by masters of art from Jamia Millia Islamia when I visited the site with friends on a day that marked the culmination of the residency. I still remember entering the room that had Sheba’s installation on display and vaguely recall a roster of workers’ names placed near its door. It was dark and Sheba had filled the room with images of retrenched workers who were once employed in factories in and around Modinagar. The images were spread across the room. The marble floor had several close-up pictures of Itbari Khan’s hands holding his old factory identity card. Portraits of others were projected on a mirror, and behind it, the wall showcased an abandoned factory shed through a coloured transparency.
Another projection, meanwhile, spread the photograph of a large, defunct machine over the fireplace. There were no plaques for identification, which made the work even more talked about. It made people think.

What also made it interesting was that the installation was placed in what was once the home of a feudal landlord who owned several mills and after whom Modinagar got its name. The installation had something to say about the space itself. The factories may have closed but the workers survived. There may have been no narrative to tell their story, but their faces were sufficient to understand their plight. The artist had made an effort to search for them, meet them and hold discussions with them. She has raised their issues through her work—which is also historically significant as it isn’t merely art for art’s sake, but also has a statement to make. There has been no direct influence of the installation on my own work, but I will always appreciate its comment on the socio-political structure.