The Sideboard
Poems have quite a wonderful way of building up strong emotions and insights that could change the way we look at the world. Quoting Arthur Rimbaud," “the poet makes himself a voyant through a long, immense reasoned deranging of all his senses. all the forms of love, of suffering, of madness; he tries to find himself, he exhausts in himself all the poisons, to keep only their quintessences.”, a poem could numb you with all the factors that it can bring you to experience and what better than Arthur Rimbaud's poems itself.
It is a high, carved sideboard made of oak. The dark old wood, like old folks, seems kind; Its drawers are open, and its odours soak The darkness with the scent of strong old wine. Its drawers are full, a final resting place For scented, yellowed linens, scraps of clothes Foe wives or children, worn and faded bows, Grandmothers' collars made of figured lace; There you will find old medals, locks of grey Or yellow hair, and portraits, and a dried bouquet Whose perfume mingles with the smell of fruit. - O sideboard of old, you know a great deal more And could tell us your tales, yet you stand mute As we slowly open your old dark door. ~ Arthur Rimbaud
Collected objects that we associate ourselves with in terms of the poem. Burrowed into it and found myself with a heap of old wooden objects that majorly belonged to my grandma. I also played around with the scents, relating it to typical fragrances that are a part of my home.
Wrote a piece of text that sumed up the idea of the collection,setting up a network of connections and that in turn evolved into a spatial form through a drawing.
Gone for a stroll with his dog leading the way. __________________________________________ Bought in 1972, From Kashmir. Handed over to the heir of Mr.Raghavendra Rao. __________________________________________ Received by Dr.Seetharam Rao at the hands of Mr.Krishnamurthy, acknowledging his work in the field of medicine. __________________________________________ Carries more weight, literally and metaphorically. __________________________________________ Sitting at the threshold and tossing the grains,while having a light hearted conversation with the neighbour,after which they eventually start singing together. __________________________________________ Tired as you enter,the scent fills you with vigour. __________________________________________ Quenching thirst with the sweet and earthly taste of water and curds. __________________________________________ Half days at the Madras training centre meant going to Marina beach.... Getting the children to stay still for a second or two was as big a task.. __________________________________________ From Ooty , The cat splooting over it , waiting to be caressed. __________________________________________ Kerosene as it's fuel and it's light as our fuel to go camping outside. __________________________________________ Vishwakala Parishad, Encouraging the blooming artists. __________________________________________ Plucking and collecting fresh fruits for the eager faces waiting at the orphanage. __________________________________________ The scramble to read the books and newspapers that arrive at home. __________________________________________ Idli meduu aagide.. Chutney swalpa kara kadimai... Sihi mulka ruchii untu.. Coffee kodamma.... (Idli is soft Chutney is not that spicy Appam is delicious Please give me coffee Amma) __________________________________________ Handkerchiefs with your initials on it, Thread work on your garments.. __________________________________________ Overfilled with timeless treasures. __________________________________________ A legacy, lost its significance locked up in a closet. __________________________________________ The infinite cycle of counting, inserting and removing. __________________________________________ Serving delicacies to the revellers who were taking part in the procession during Ugadi. __________________________________________ Winning against our grandmother was never an option . __________________________________________ Mud and mirrors on the wall, Patina calling out to you all. _________________________________________ Knitted by nimble and wrinkled hands, Adorning the sofa set and dining table. _________________________________________ Extracted with a lot of efforts, It's fragrance wafting throughout the house.. __________________________________________ Clutter of small figurines and trinkets within your reach. __________________________________________ Bangalore aunt's visit to California, Couriered to Mumbai.
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Curated an exhibition of the objects as an installation that allowed others to interact with the objects that narrate different stories and experience the nuances of relationships of people through these objects.
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Curated by;
Lohitha Rao
Nishadh More
Anushka Thorat
Enacted a skit which was mainly an inclination towards body language,movements and expressions in the context of vague dreams stitched together.
