Series : Coexistence
Project/ Exhibition: “Gajyatra” – Safe corridor for Elephants
Title- I want my wings back
Year- 2017 and 2018
Dimensions- 7.5 ft High x 9ft Length and 5 ft Wide
Location- Showcased at Nehru memorial Delhi and IGNCA, Delhi
Curator- Dr. Alka Pande and Ananya Rhane
Sponsor- Wildlife Trust of India
Material- Mild steel structure and scap metal
Gajyatra by WTI ( Wildlife Trust Of India) ( Environment Ministry of India)
‘I want my wings back’, Yours truly, Elephant
“How elephants lost their wings” in a Folk lore from Orissa, When Elephants were favorite flying mounts for many Gods and were happy creatures flying between Earth and Heaven, until came humans and made houses ( now skyscrapers) and rooftops for elephants not to rest. When elephants, from being beautiful creature became the animals creating turmoil for humans, so did God chopped their magnanimous wings and gave 2 wings to Peacock and Banana Plant.
The plight of Elephants with chopped off wings did not end here but continues till today and making them a threatened species.
Then wings, now corridors humans are creating havoc for them. As a Keystone species , do we as humans realize their importance for the overall biome and its biodiversity ???
Here is my way of expressing their plight and in continuation to my series on Co-Existence , while elephant being the forerunner to the theme , I urge for these Ecological engineers to help them acquire their wings and if not so at least safe corridors to ease their migration and engineer their habitats.
In my effort to utilize metal junk as material vocabulary, I have tried to add wings reminding humans of their glorious past and birds and flies as the companions who find shelter/food and continuity to their existence along with many in this flora and fauna worlds because of this marvelous vitality to our existence!!!
