Semi-transparent birds in combinations of blue, white and green hang suspended in different stages of flight. A tangled heap of red and blue stained coir lies below them, hiding a source that emits a speckled light which reflects off the birds and the surrounding walls. This spectacle is part of an installation by artist Bindhi Rajagopal, on display at the Durbar Art Centre.
Titled ‘I Want to Fly Like a Bird’, the installation is an expression of the artists’ desire to break free from the ties of society and experience true freedom.
“From a very young age, I have been jealous of birds, who can take to the skies whenever they wish, without a care in the world. In contrast, we humans find ourselves bound unconsciously to numerous things, ” says Bindhi.
The birds are made from polycarbonate sheets and the pile of coir below is meant to indicate the societal ties that have no bearing on them.
On a wall next to the installation is a painting of Bindhi with wings sprouting from her back, as well as a poem by her daughter, Malavika. “Generally, we start getting into the societal grind as we grow into our teens. Since my daughter is now growing out of her childhood and facing responsibilities, I felt she was the best person to put those emotions to words,” explains Bindhi. She says that the forty or so birds on display only represent a small part of the scale she intended, explaining that her original idea meant the installation to have 1,000 birds. “Space constraints are the issue with most installations. I wanted people to walk right through the installation, and experience the freedom the subjects of my work have,” she says.
The installation will be on display at the Durbar Art Centre from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. till August 3.
