Objects
Identities Meanings
A Research-based Exhibition on
Negotiating Cultural Transformation in Northeast India:
Insider Perspectives on Material Culture
Objects when read as texts become outward-moving from the narrow confines of domestic everydayness to larger, more encompassing and fundamental concerns. The set of field researches in this publication examines the relationship between a community and the materials they create and use. The human-object relationship is viewed as dialectical: people use material culture to solve life’s existential problems and material culture uses people by actively teaching them about “proper” ways of thinking and behaving.
Observations in the research reveals nuanced understandings of the subject, both indicating familiarity with and awareness of the networks of object, symbolism, belief, and behavior that surround everyday life. Change and continuity in community identity are processes that can be seen both in material culture and in oral traditions. The multidisciplinary explorations made this collection an unusually rich description of the multi-layered cultural underpinnings of physical objects in the cultures of North East India. The accompanying research volume was a compilation of oral narratives and knowledge contained within.
Objects Identities Meanings is an exhibition put up at the Indian Cultural Center, Delhi. It is based on the book named Objects, Identities, Meanings, published by The North East Forum (NEF) and CCK. The book is a combination of articles from several research scholars from Northeast India, that remains at the margins of academic study, despite its socio-cultural diversity. Each article deals with objects of every day from the region and the process involved in the making of it.
I joined the project as an Exhibition Designer. As a designer, it was my responsibility to design and fabricate the entire exhibition. Objects from the region were first sourced from several individuals. Along with the academic/cultural value, these objects had a lot of personal values attached to it and that introduced new layers to the exhibition. Two other designers assisted me at the later stages of the process. The exhibition consisted of display of several archival photographs from the field work done by the researchers, collected fabrics and videos. I introduced two art installations- representing the journey of clothing from silkworm to fabric. Another display was composed of photographs of detailed motifs/patterns on regional cloths were displayed between two long strips of paper on the floor, encouraging the viewers to try reproducing them on the paper strips. The interactive design of the exhibition encouraged viewers to look closely at the objects. My work also included managing the accounts/finance of the show as well as the supervision of the interns working on the project.
Exhibited at:
Art Gallery, India International Centre.
16th to 25th September 2017
Organised by:
The North East Forum, Centre for Community Knowledge
Ambedkar University Delhi
In collaboration with
India International Centre
Exhibition Design by :
Gracelia Gangmei
Nikhil.K.C
Taha Abdul Majeed