Sustaina India Art Exhibition
The inaugural exhibition of Sustaina India, a creative platform where art meets science to advocate for collective climate action, has sparked stimulating conversations at Bikaner House in New Delhi. Organized by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) and Indian artist duo Thukral and Tagra, with curator Srinivas Aditya Mopidevi, the exhibition offers an immersive experience that seamlessly intertwines sustainability, art, and scientific knowledge. The exhibition, a unique fusion of art and science, is being showcased at Bikaner House in New Delhi from February 2-15, 2024.
Amidst the rising challenges posed by the climate crisis and resource depletion, Sustaina India stands as a powerful testament to the necessity of interdisciplinary conversations on sustainability. The platform ingeniously weaves together art, material sciences, and climate awareness, culminating in a thought-provoking showcase that urges viewers to reconsider their relationship with the planet.
The exhibition resonates with artists, local communities, and policymakers, emotionally connecting and inspiring them to escalate climate ambition and action. It effectively bridges the gap between public discourse and daily lives, driving home the urgency of prioritizing climate action. By offering a sensorium of touch, smell, sound, and vision through tactile installations, documentary-based artworks, and sensory interventions, Sustaina India successfully accentuates the tangible impact of sustainability in our lives. Highlighting unique projects, the exhibition includes symphonies mingled with ocean waste, an immersive forest experience, and a narrative on the impact of climate change on the tribal community, keeping viewers’ ‘eyes to the ground, heart to the horizon.
The exhibition also serves as a testament to the power of art in advocating for sustainable living. It features the works of emerging artists supported through a fellowship programme, each bringing a unique voice to the discourse surrounding sustainable living. From Rachna Toshniwal’s innovative project reusing ocean waste to Debasmita Ghosh’s exploration of vernacular architectural practices, and Manjot Kaur’s evocative video installation highlighting the plurality of voices in ecosystems, the exhibition celebrates diverse perspectives on sustainable living.
Noteworthy in the exhibition is the convergence of art, material science, and sustainability in the form of installations like Gaurav Jai Gupta’s Kaalchakra, which ingeniously harnesses particulate matter causing air pollution to create art, and Climate Recipes by Srinivas Mangipudi and Srinivas Aditya Mopidevi, emerging from conversations with environmentalists, chefs, and farmers, offering adaptable approaches to sustainable living.
In a contemporary art scene predominantly confined to white cube spaces, Sustaina India breaks the barriers, actively engaging with local communities and bringing sustainability discussions to the forefront. It strives for a future where climate awareness and sustainability become an integral part of India’s cultural fabric.
The inaugural exhibition of Sustaina India at Bikaner House not only presents a compelling marriage of art and science but also serves as an eloquent catalyst for driving sustainable change. Through a diverse range of artworks and installations, it presents a tangible and emotionally resonant lens through which viewers can contemplate and commit to individual and collective climate action.
This exhibition marks a significant milestone in the intersection of art, science, and sustainability, setting an exemplary model for cultivating engaged dialogues and advocating for a sustainable future. Sustaina India is a visionary platform that underscores the pivotal role of art in stirring the collective empathy needed to confront the challenges posed by the climate crisis and inspires a reimagining of our relationship with the planet.
