subject: Devi Art Foundation [print this page] In a darkened room, four rows of burka-clad mannequins are staring at a seated couple. The couple, also mannequin-like, are adorned with gold and silver tinsel and their wooden feet, attached to the legs of their chairs, are shaped like cow hooves. Behind them, a looped video that depicts a cow being slaughtered is projected on the wall.
This is the installation, Toys are Watching Toys, 2002 by Bangladeshi artist Mahbubur Rahman.
While the average viewer may be able to recognize piecemeal artistic references, the overall work will probably remain opaque, shrouded in the confusing realm of contemporary Indian art.
It is this gap, between the public and the artist that The Devi Art Foundation aims to bridge, through exhibitions curated from an expansive private collection of contemporary art.
Anupam Poddar, co-founder of the space, said the Foundation further aims to connect with audiences, who may have been previously unfamiliar with contemporary art, through outreach programs, panel discussions and talks which revolve around current shows.
Through such resources, one may be able to decipher Rahmans Toys are Watching Toys as a wedding scene which feels like a courtroom as a result of the rows of judging faces. Also, the video likens the fate of the woman to a cow slaughtered in a busy market.
Started in 2008 by Anupam Poddar and his mother, Lekha Poddar, this not-for-profit space was the culmination of years of collecting contemporary art from all over the subcontinent.
When the collection became sizeable, there was a need for reaching out to the public and the Devi Art Foundation was envisaged with pedagogic functions in mind, says Anupam. The Foundation is a platform for the convergence of cutting edge, experimental art in the sub-continent and the collection is growing to include such works from greater Asia.
Located in the satellite city of Gurgaon, the Foundation is set amongst the citys checkerboard of empty lots and modern complexe
