LOST IN THE CITY OF SUN

The conurbation of Surat, India does not fail to enthral her visitors. World’s one of the major business hubs- Surat, has witnessed several changes over time. In this ‘City of Sun’, modern urban edifices overshadow the past. Seldom skyscrapers block the view of the sky. Here much like in other places, modernization has come at the cost of metamorphosis. Somehow in the scope of time, the city has also lost track of her heroes. The icons have faded out of people’s memory. Their legacies are long forgotten with the advent of the new. The present installation pays homage to the forgotten icons of the city. In this fast-paced urban life, people hardly care to remember such national figures. Presently, names such as Kavi Narmad, Umashankar Joshi, Mahatma Gandhi or Aurobindo Ghosh only adorn the civic structures and road signs. Their statues also remain unnoticed by the public as the colorful billboards flood the city. To the present generation, their contribution to Surat remains unknown. Being an outsider, he found himself lost in the crowd. He came across these statues, which much like me, stood alone and neglected within this bustling city. In this light installation, the portraits will remind the people of Surat of their own forgotten heroes. This work is also a comment upon the rapidly changing environment.

Tapi Art Festival 2013
Size- 16 x 24 feet, Medium-  light, Paper cards on plywood, 2013