De Montfort University, Leicester
2020
Ink, Rice paper, Reflective tape, Etching, Graphite
Dimensions variable
As a propagandist, I continually ask myself, “Whose side am I on?” Without a clearly defined opponent and in the precarious tension between the oppressed and the oppressor within an institutional ambit, crafting agendas becomes challenging. To create “propaganda” or “political art” against the oppressive system in such a setting can also anesthetise the problem by relegating it outside that space to exteriorise both the viewers and the makers. These processes facilitate a homogenisation where difference is reduced to a singular, false narrative.
To counter such an easy dismissal, I seek to generate uncomfortable tensions by employing the incomplete yet unlimited “I” as the subject of an immediately trailing verb. The set of notes and sketches on the display wall dismantle the very notion of the privileged “I” as it becomes an empty signifier, and invites exploration into how the viewer interprets the declaration:
“I Am Racist.”
What contradictions are evoked when viewers encounter it? Who is this “I” within the visual and written notes—is it the maker, the viewer, or the personified figure in the image?
By incorporating recent posters opposing NPR (National Population Register), CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act), NRC (National Register of Citizens), and the Personal Data Protection Bill, I intend to evoke a clarion keening of urgency. Although these bills are specific to India, their intentions resonate with global immigration debates. By juxtaposing such posters with printed journals and personal diaries, I navigate my everyday experience while challenging any ideological binary.