Index of Dystopia is one part of a larger project called The habitat of Dissent which explores the idea of ‘Safety Net’ in resistance and building a culture of care.
In Zurich, During the period that the artist Sarah Naqvi is present in Zurich (quarantine), they will hand stitch a textile declaration that curates key developments in the race towards autocracy in India. The ongoing work will be mounted in a public square in Zurich where it will hang over people who choose to sit under it and host pedestrians in its shade, replicating a dark cloud of impending doom.
During the public exhibition, the audience can interact and can be part of the ongoing stitching.
The popular Indian media is complicit and has played a huge role in hate mongering, and creating obstacles for any attempt at dissent. As far as non-resident Indians go, a narrative has been tailored to label them as BJP(rightwing) allies, and our proposal seeks to reclaim our voice, build a space of engagement and dialogue and dismiss the false forced one.
Sarah Naqvi (she/they), is an Indian artist, based in Mumbai/ Amsterdam. Their work centres art as the tool for activism, and amplifies the fight against existing realities. Deeply rooted in the belief that one's work is an extension of themselves, they try to create in ways that make their practice an extension of their beliefs, that which does not exist in isolation, that which constantly critiques the systems of oppression and advocates for democracy and freedom of speech. The materiality and techniques in the work are at play to create familiarity with the viewer, with satire, whimsical props, and softness you are made to believe something joyous awaits. Once these thematics are established and make one comfortable, the visuals are then layered with brutal truths scripted based on prominent socio political developments in the country.
Among other, Sarah’s work has been presented/exhibited at Clark House, Mumbai in 2018, Ame Nue, Hamburg in 2019, Para Site, Hong Kong (2019), Akinci Amsterdam(2019), TS1 Yangon, Yangon, Myanmar in 2018, Museum of Modern Art, Warsaw, Poland 2018. Sarah was also one of the two representing artists for India at the Bangkok Biennale, Escape Routes 2020.
The public moments in this project happen spontaneously and are shared via a Telegram group.
Index of Dystopia is one part of a larger project called The habitat of Dissent which explores the idea of ‘Safety Net’ in resistance and building a culture of care.
In Zurich, During the period that the artist Sarah Naqvi is present in Zurich (quarantine), they will hand stitch a textile declaration that curates key developments in the race towards autocracy in India. The ongoing work will be mounted in a public square in Zurich where it will hang over people who choose to sit under it and host pedestrians in its shade, replicating a dark cloud of impending doom.
During the public exhibition, the audience can interact and can be part of the ongoing stitching.
The popular Indian media is complicit and has played a huge role in hate mongering, and creating obstacles for any attempt at dissent. As far as non-resident Indians go, a narrative has been tailored to label them as BJP(rightwing) allies, and our proposal seeks to reclaim our voice, build a space of engagement and dialogue and dismiss the false forced one.
Sarah Naqvi (she/they), is an Indian artist, based in Mumbai/ Amsterdam. Their work centres art as the tool for activism, and amplifies the fight against existing realities. Deeply rooted in the belief that one's work is an extension of themselves, they try to create in ways that make their practice an extension of their beliefs, that which does not exist in isolation, that which constantly critiques the systems of oppression and advocates for democracy and freedom of speech. The materiality and techniques in the work are at play to create familiarity with the viewer, with satire, whimsical props, and softness you are made to believe something joyous awaits. Once these thematics are established and make one comfortable, the visuals are then layered with brutal truths scripted based on prominent socio political developments in the country.
Among other, Sarah’s work has been presented/exhibited at Clark House, Mumbai in 2018, Ame Nue, Hamburg in 2019, Para Site, Hong Kong (2019), Akinci Amsterdam(2019), TS1 Yangon, Yangon, Myanmar in 2018, Museum of Modern Art, Warsaw, Poland 2018. Sarah was also one of the two representing artists for India at the Bangkok Biennale, Escape Routes 2020.
The public moments in this project happen spontaneously and are shared via a Telegram group.