Curatorial Note
Forum Art Gallery Chennai, in association with Chennai Photo Biennale 2019 invited photographers in India to send proposals for lens-based conceptual projects for a residency in Chennai. The Resident would be mentored by noted photo-artist Nandini Valli Muthiah. Be it an ongoing project or a new project the work needed to be completed during the course of the Residency and to be showcased during CPB 2019.
The recipient of the first Forum Art Gallery Residency 2019 is photographer Sameer Raichur from Bangalore. Handpicked from a pool of talented applicants, Sameer’s ‘Chariots of frolic’ is a refreshing take on the institution of marriage, the wedding procession in particular and the extravaganza and myth surrounding the occasion. The journey being as memorable as the ride, the projected metaphors of wealth and fanfare accentuate the happy beginning to a life of commitment.
In this second edition of the Biennale, the city is geared to experience some of the finest talents headed by N. Pushpamala as the curator and the dynamic CPB team of Varun Gupta, Shuchi Kapoor, Gayathri Nair and Helmut Schippert to name a few. CPB is a welcome and significant addition to the city of Chennai known for showcasing the exemplary in the arts.
The Residency is a first for Forum Art Gallery and Chariots of frolic is a momentous beginning to our commitment to art, photography, Chennai Photo Biennale and the city.
It was a pleasure to work with Sameer to present Chariots of frolic. Forum wishes him the best for his future endeavors.
I wish to thank Shuchi Kapoor for her patience and help in choosing the artist for the Residency and Nandini Valli as mentor for her invaluable guidance.
I would also like to acknowledge and thank my friend Nalini Radhakrishnan for offering Interscape as the hospitality partner for the Residency.
Shalini Biswajit
Artist Concept Note
Cars represent the pinnacle of design and technology. They are a symbol of an individual’s economic status. Customizing them allows owners to express their aesthetic and functional sensibilities.
Prior to the liberalization of the Indian economy, purchasing options were scant. Contemporary car buyers are spoilt for choice, but the planned obsolescence makes them hanker for the durability of older cars.
The entry of multiple local and foreign car manufacturers almost sounded the death knell for the cars of my early childhood. One such car, the Fiat Premier-Padmini, ubiquitous in India in the 70’s and 80’s, is an increasingly rare sight. Their phasing out as the iconic Mumbai taxis was a sentimental moment for many across the country.
Imagine my surprise when I encountered a beautifully preserved Fiat, modified to serve as a wedding procession vehicle. A curious mix of the medieval and postmodern – the vehicles can best be categorized as a hybrid between a road car and a horse driven chariot. The embrace of modern design, technology in keeping with the cultural practices of the past.
Chariots have always had a historic association with weddings. The ancient Greeks used them to “increase the grandeur of the occasion”. We are all familiar with mythical tales where the chariot or ‘ratha’ is the vehicle of choice for gods, demons and mortals alike. It is probably these myths and the influence of the regional film industry that inspired enterprising fabricators to dream up the chariots in their rudimentary workshops. Because of the simplicity of their set-up, the cars can be easily disassembled and often masquerade as regular commuter cars during the day.
Weddings in India are an opportunity for families to make a statement. They are a display of social and economic standing that in small towns becomes a celebration of community and a means of garnering goodwill for the two uniting families. Chariots of frolic add to that pomp, fanfare and dramatize the announcement of the nuptials.
