TARQ is pleased to present Dispersive Acts, the first solo exhibition in India by artist Amba Sayal-Bennett, featuring a captivating series of sculptures and drawings. This exhibition delves into the complex narratives of colonial history through the lens of botanical practices, inviting viewers to engage with the rich tapestry of imperial gardens.
Sayal-Bennett’s work forms part of a larger investigation into imperial botany, which will be exhibited across multiple global cities, including London and New York. A central focus of her exploration is Rani Baug (formerly Victoria Gardens) in Mumbai, established in the 1860s as a significant British colonial project featuring a botanical garden and museum. This site embodies the processes of extraction, transfer, and erasure that defined colonial botany, as it imported and cataloged plants from Asia, Africa, and the Americas.
In Dispersive Acts, Sayal-Bennett reinterprets Rani Baug as both a colonial archive and a site of resistance. Through her experimental sculptures, she abstracts geometric forms from the garden's layout while incorporating floral motifs. Utilizing industrial materials like resin and steel, her work reflects the controlled and subjugated nature of gardens, yet she challenges this notion of order by reappropriating botanical elements central to the empire's narratives. Her forms evolve through disordered growth, merging into and overgrowing their supports.
The sculptures feature floral motifs derived from the twenty-four Linnaean categories, which serve as foundational elements of modern taxonomy. These motifs are digitally redrawn and dispersed across various works, emphasizing themes of disobedience and resistance as they blend together, subverting traditional histories of use.
Additionally, the incorporation of Art Deco elements in her work nods to the architectural revisions seen in Rani Baug, symbolizing a move towards independence and a self-determined future. This stylistic choice enhances the narrative of resistance woven throughout the exhibition, reflecting a distinct departure from colonial influences.
Dispersive Acts invites viewers to reconsider the intricate layers of history that shape our understanding of botanical practices and colonial legacies. It challenges us to reflect on the narratives embedded in our gardens and the natural world, urging us to engage with these histories in a meaningful way.
Details -
Exhibition Dates: August 8 ,2024 - September 21, 2024
Gallery Hours: Tuesday – Saturday, 11:00 AM to 6:30 PM
Gallery:
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