20 YEARS OF RULEBREAKING

For 20 years, artist duo, Jiten Thukral and Sumir Tagra’s collaborative works, have made play part of their artistic process, even for serious issues. Their recent exhibition, ‘Games People Play 02’ at Lalit Kala Akademi, combines art and everyday life at one go.

- PANKIL JHAJHRIA

SWANTANTUR Singh was determined to fly abroad to a different land, in search of a better life and in hope of a better future. The installation 'Hope' by artists Jiten Thukral and Sumir Tagra represents Singh, an 'Uncle' they have been close to for over 20 years. The little ice sculpture, of a bearded man in a turban, stands in a corner of their recent exhibition with his arms stretched-out a pose similar to that during an airport security check, Tagra notes.

The ice frost creeping over the little statue is symbolic of the bureaucratic struggles of the immigration process -file by file, scan by scan. The surmounting layers reshape his ambitions, aspirations and even identity, turning him almost unrecognisable.

Thukral and Tagra's artworks are on display at the exhibition, 'Games People Play 02', at Lalit Kala Akademi in New Delhi. The exhibition will be on view till October 16.

The first iteration of the exhibition was held at Mumbai's Dr.

Bhau Daji Lad Museum in 2015, where thousands of people took part in interactive games which were a part of the show.