Apr 27, 20192 min read

Soil as a witness | Memory as a Wound

Updated: Apr 4, 2023

Solo show by Apnavi Makanji

'Absurd shaped leaves on paper' - might be the first thing that may come to ones mind, while walking into this white cube, Tarq. But Apnavi Makanji’s first solo show is lots deeper than what just meets the eye.

Humans are social beings, whose life is strongly dependent on the nostalgia of the past events, categorically termed as “memories”. Combining memories, past experiences and the shifting idea of home, the artist Apnavi Makanji has made soil the primary protagonist of her work. Trying to awaken the olfactory and visual senses, the artist has presented a unique show of 13 installations. The strong message the artist is trying to convey is that with every passing stage of life, the only constant is the soil, her strongest memory and the cause of her inspiration for this jaw dropping show. The erosion of memories are metaphorically compared to the erosion of the soil. Thus, the recurring use of the word “memory” truly conveys the importance of her past strongly embedded in her heart. The artist has collected soil from mainly two important cities- Mumbai and Geneva. These two cities have strongly contributed towards sheltering and weaving the artist into a fine individual. Each artwork is uniquely titled as the geographic coordinates, a combination of the latitude and longitude, of the location marking the origin of the organic element, here being the soil.

However, Makanji doesn’t want her work to be a mere representation of her past memories but also a medium to convey a strong message of impermanence. That is that people and things do pass away leaving behind their last and final impression in this eternal soil.

Makanji’s artwork is extremely calming and soothing to the soul. Each painting has a unique palette with shades of green, blue and brown ( created from the soil and lake water). The fluid earthly formed installations coupled with the small jars of soil assert the superiority of nature and it’s deep impact on human life. The smell of soil plays a key role which awakes the olfactory senses. These small jars of soil sitting along the shelves of all 13 installations trigger memories as viewers dampen the soil with drops of chemically treated water or oil. Metaphorically, this act of dampening the soil allows the viewers to leave back their impression before leaving the premises of this intriguing exhibit.

Maknaji's work is so provocative it reminds us of the millions of the microscopic lives, drifting in and out of the spaces we occupy. A video compilation titled “Keedi” looks at the microscopic shifts and cycles of existence and decay within the environment that go unnoticed. With ants, crows, and other insects as the protagonists of the narrative, this work captures their daily activities and highlights their rejection of the man-made boundaries. Shot over the span of three years in Bombay Port Trust Garden, it reflects the intricate and often uneasy negotiations between the various species that inhabit spaces manicured for human needs.

The exhibition is accompanied by a catalog essay penned by Dr. Faisal Devji.