Reimagining Gandhi’s march to define today’s demolition

The Gyarah Murti statue at Sardar Patel Marg is an iconic bronze monument depicting Mahatma Gandhi leading a diverse group of people during Dandi March in 1930. Several cities have its replicas and an image even appeared on an older Rs 500 note, cementing its place in India's visual memory. At the 17th edition of India Art Fair, opening to the public on Friday, a bronze sculpture by Debanjan Roy — inspired by Gyarah Murti — commands instant attention at the entryway of Aicon Contemporary, a New York-based gallery and long-time participant. Roy, a Kolkata-based artist, distils the historic procession into a solitary, walking figure of Gandhi and radically alters its context. Suspended behind him is a demolition hammer, its heavy industrial form attached to the figure's forward movement. Associated with construction sites and, more recently, highly publicised state demolitions, the machine introduces a stark counterpoint to the ethical force of the original marchers.
"Gandhi is an icon for the entire nation and I have been working with his figure as an artist for a long time. But I always contextualise it in contemporary social events. These tools and breakers are meant for progress and development, but are now being used to cause harm," said Roy. His interpretation is just one of many powerful statements unfolding across the fair's most expansive edition to date. It has brought together a record 135 exhibitors, including 94 galleries and 24 major institutions, reflecting both the depth of South Asia's artistic ecosystems and growing international engagement with the region. Major Indian galleries are presenting works by modern masters, including a large 92×172 inch 1990 acrylic on canvas by MF Husain, ‘Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne', painted as a homage to Satyajit Ray's cinematic classic, while also foregrounding historically under-recognised figures such as Meera Mukherjee, Rustom Siodia and B Prabha. "It feels truly expansive in scale this year, not just in the number of galleries participating but also in the breadth of presentations and themes across the fair. Beyond the gallery booths, there's a dedicated design section and a strong institutions programme. I'd encourage visitors to explore as much as they can because the diversity on view is greater than ever," said fair director Jaya Asokan. International participation is especially pronounced this year. Globally established artists, including Olafur Eliasson, Anish Kapoor, Judy Chicago and Michelangelo Pistoletto, are presented from a contingent of international galleries like neugerriemschneider (Berlin), Galleria Continua (Italy), Ota Fine Arts (Tokyo) and David Zwirner (New York, London, Paris, Hong Kong). Their presence places South Asian practices in direct dialogue with global contemporary art. Eliasson's luminous glass sphere work, a constellation of iridescent, light-responsive glass orbs, captivated visitors. Another major hit is a stainless-steel pumpkin sculpture by Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, finished in her signature perforated pattern in a blue coating and presented in India for the first time. Extending the fair's meditation on demolition and its political and human consequences, Vadodara-based artist Girjesh Kumar Singh presents large, breathing sculptures made from bricks salvaged from demolished addresses. Reclaiming the remnants of vanished homes, Singh reshapes debris into human forms that appear to inhale and exhale with their belongings in yet another potent work while in transit, ‘Haal Mukaam: Current Address'. "Every address is provisional, every dwelling temporary, in constant flux like the tide of human life itself... we are always en route," said Singh.