Ayesha Singh: “I believe that art has the ability to record a moment in history and often push against dominant ideologies."

During a brief conversation with Ayesha Singh, co-founder of Art Chain India, I was immediately struck by her remarkable ability to structure her thoughts well, mirroring the meticulous approach she takes in her artistry. As we delved further into the discussion about her recent exhibition ‘Monumental Turns’ which focuses on the interplay between architecture, power, and history in New Delhi, she explained that she looks at architecture as a specific inspection into history. Her work usually questions the assumed permanence of buildings and the histories omitted during construction, restoration, and destruction. “Delhi has survived decades as the capital of various empires and the expression of a nation-building exercise. One of my first introductions to the city was my childhood home which was created to resemble the White House in DC in its façade and a form-equals-function box in the back with windows. The city bears witness to evolving power dynamics and shifting ideologies where the desire for belonging is situated in new construction, renovation, and erasures,” says the Delhi-born artist.

Elaborating on the research she undertook for the successful implementation of this project she says, “I walked through the sites, spoke with the inhabitants of particular buildings, read about their architectural histories, had conversations with architects who have spent years restoring them, and dug into my own memories of interactions with each chosen space. Each work had its own material process,” says the 32-year-old.

The three sculptural installations at the Delhi-based Nature Morte art gallery—called Skewed Histories (2023)—is a new series of works which was earlier depicted as a 2 ft tall prototype to larger forms. However, in this exhibition, it has been created on a life-size scale for the first time. Upon first glance, one can witness the iconic horseshoe arch in the installation, a concept inspired by the Southern Gateway of the Qutub Minar complex in Delhi. The entryway of 20th-century homes in Old Delhi blends Indo-Saracenic architectural elements that meld Indian and European aesthetics which is also promptly highlighted. 

Additionally, the series pays homage to Sikh heritage by incorporating arches reminiscent of 19th-century Mughal-inspired motifs. The gallery’s main space hosts an immersive set-up composed of eleven of these arches, inviting viewers to contemplate the impact of time and the fluidity of history. There are two more viewing rooms, where visitors will encounter ‘Hybrid Drawings’—an optically perplexing ensemble and ‘Frayed Continuum’—a mechanical marvel housed within a scaffolding-like structure. 

“I believe that art has the ability to record a moment in history and often push against dominant ideologies, which makes it a powerful means for dialogue and record. In the past, I have looked at the works of Phillida Barlow, Do Ho Suh, and Bani Abidi to name a few, who have opened up ways in which scale, material, and on-ground research can expand a practice,” comments Ayesha.