Works based on myth and representation

For a group show in Mumbai based Guild, several talented artists have conceptualized that are based on the twin notion of myth & representation. The participating artists create, valorise and subsequently shatter – ideas, notions, cultures, ideologies, beliefs, facts and certain myths.

Prayas Abhinav currently teaches at the Srishti School of Art, Design and Technology. According to him, in ‘Even war has limits (17” screen, joystick, text), a modified version of the Space Invaders game (a classic arcade game) in which the confrontational process part of our social situation plays out and becomes a semiotic conflict in which accusations, prescriptions and cross-accusations, defence mechanisms are made easily. The game can be played with a joystick. Additional cross-accusations can be typed with a keyboard.

‘The tiger is not a tiger (but don't tell)’ looks at consumption-created social status. It’s a series of images loading up on a screen. We can vote for the image on the left or on the right by pressing the corresponding button. Pressing both the buttons together will take us to the score-window, which shows which image was selected how many times. Selection, here, is of course meant to signify desirability and cool-sensing.

Other participating artist Neha Thakar’s working process enables her to see the changing visual formation of her works through the passage of time. Through mediums she selects – such as ice, water and smell – the process becomes a performance in through a space of changing visual. One can also term it as environmental art, because of the celebration with the natural world ranging from permanent constructions of objects and interventions with ice. The artist makes use of nature to explore themes such as, the fleeting and ephemeral, notions of time, the unexpected and random.

She states of her work in the exhibition: “One can see it at the beginning, middle or end, and can feel a part of it, that relates to my approach to material. Hence, the spectator becomes a part of my work. The so called ‘Simulacrum’ in itself turns into an artwork as the process goes on. Therefore, the viewer who is involved with the process can see innumerable visuals within one visual and at last a feeling of nothingness or so called emptiness takes place, which is the core idea of my work. I am playing with an idea of tangible & intangible; visible & invisible properties of the materials like Water, Ice, Smell, Gas & extra. At the edge of this circle I have tried to negotiate the essence of impermanency.”