'Meet Me In The Garden' By Ritu And Surya Is A Call For Action

Seeking inspiration from Rumi's quote — "Somewhere beyond right and wrong there is a garden, I will meet you there," Wolf's latest exhibition is a spectacle of social issues. Exhibited at Mumbai's Sakshi Gallery, in collaboration with Srila Chatterjee's Baro Market, 'Meet Me In The Garden' is a collection of sustainably crafted artworks made of materials handpicked from local shops, scrap dealers and objects collected during various travels by artists Ritu Singh and Surya Singh. "We exist in a time when blatant vilification of the 'Other' exists. There is fear, and liberties depend on your surname. If we stayed silent, the beast would come back to bite us," said the artist duo.

Inspired by the Charbagh of Mughals — gardens for leisure, pleasure, poetry and politics, these creations stand out for their thoughtful narrative and touch of traditions and sustainability. One example is A Brief Case of Babur, created using materials like an Air India briefcase, vintage mirrors, scrap metal flowers, brass edgings, and spray paint. It has been packed with carnations, poppies, roses, and tulips, all meticulously stacked into a vintage briefcase, symbolic of Mughal emperor Babur's many lives as a landless prince, a naturalist, a writer, and a lover. Another interesting work is Embed, signifying the importance of khat (cot) in Indian culture. Using a discarded cot as the primary material, these artists have crafted a bed of contradictions using thorny roses and barbed wire to encourage people to adapt to the adversities and survive.

Showcased at Sakshi Gallery, 'Meet Me In The Garden' is open for visitors until October 7, 2023, displaying landmark works by local artists seeking to create a safe conversation space.

Tell us about the inspiration behind 'Meet Me in the Garden' and how Rumi's quote influenced your artistic direction.

Over the past decade, Wolf has traversed through gardens and forests, and nature has been an inspiration, muse and guiding light. What started as creating gardens and forests from scrap and discards grew into layered narratives that express ongoing thoughts within us and situations around us. This show is set within a Charbagh, a secure space for leisure, pleasure, poetry and politics brought by the Mughals. It is a platform for much-needed conversations and exchanges with people willing to listen to the truths amidst the sea of lies. In the words of Rumi, it is where we navigate beyond the confines of right and wrong to discover our true direction.

What does blatant vilification of the "Other" mean? How do you hope your audience will engage with this concept?

The issue is that some people are treating minorities as outsiders, pushing them even further to the margins to exclude them altogether. Are we upholding our status as a secular nation? Do we genuinely respect our nation's secular values? It seems uncertain, and we hope that sharing the truth from academic research encourages our audience to reflect on the current situation.

Your show incorporates various materials, from local finds in Rajasthan to objects collected in your travels. Can you elaborate on how these materials contribute to the overall narrative of the exhibition?

The objects making their way into artworks come with their narratives and play to the tunes we set. For example, the carbon dioxide cartridges used in making the anthuriums build the visual but keep their own story of being pressured propellers for guns. In the cypress, wooden hangers help us make the shape of the cypress but keep their level of being a clothes hanger intact as an offering to Nur Jahan's fashionista status.

Each flower in your exhibition is made by hand using different grades of scrap wire mesh. Could you elaborate on the significance of this process and how it ties into the theme of the garden?

Wolf has used scrap discards and found materials from the very beginning of our artistic journey. Handmade is held in great regard, and we are constantly trying to use the materials found to make flowers, trees, gardens and forests. The material used for the flowers in this show came to us from a wire mesh factory at the beginning of 2020. It's been three and a half years of nurturing it, which has bloomed into this garden.

In the context of "Meet Me in the Garden," how do you view the role of art in addressing the challenges and troubles of our times and encouraging viewers to seek beauty and harmony?

Art must provoke, not only portray. We use the analogy of flowers to address tough questions that grip our nation today and hope to enter blocked headspace with their beauty.

Can you describe a specific artwork or element in your show coinciding with the essence of "Meet Me in the Garden"?

Every work in the show embodies the essence and idea of 'Meet Me In The Garden.'

What is the most essential takeaway you want your audience to have after experiencing your exhibition? 

We want the audience to ask questions, to dig deeper for the truths, and we want them to speak up. If we don't, it means we are complying.