Acculturation

2012

‘Acculturation’ explores how family heirlooms function as objects of memories and by extending their past functions how do these heirlooms become subjects in our collective history. I was invited to participate in a community arts project by curator Geetanjali Dang at the Sandarbh Artist Residency in a small town called Partapur in India. The town was divided into two parts. One in which the Borah muslims lived and the other dominated by Brahmin Hindus. The indigenous population of Bhils, Meenas, Damor, Charpotas, Ninamas lived on the margins of the town. It was  perturbing to see the inhabitants of Partapur still adhering to religious and caste segregations. The indigenous population were often denied basic amenities. Women on the other hand had scarce or no education. Financial support for schools and material resources were available to the upper castes and those living in wealthier neighbourhoods.

The indigenous population had very basic schools, often consisting of a bare shed with few rooms. There were no play areas or play-grounds. Girls were often not allowed to complete their schooling and married at a very young age. Parents would sell their traditional family jewellery (often passed from one generation to another) to support their children or pay for their daughter’s wedding. The jewellery would be sold to a local jeweller who would buy them at a very reduced price and subsequently smelt them to make new jewellery with contemporary designs. Through photography and personal interviews, I collected visual data of vintage jewellery designs from families and jewellers dwelling in Partapur and subsequently selected a design which was enlarged and converted into a metal swing. This swing was finally installed in a school within a low-income neighbourhood attended by children from indigenous communities.

SANDARBH International Artist Residency, Partapur, Banswara Rajasthan, India, 2014. Organized by Beneshwer Lok Vikas Sansthan, Curated by Geetanjali Dang.