We, The People (2018–2022)
Varunika Saraf
We, The People
2018–2022
76 textile panels: embroidery and cochineal dye on cotton
43 x 43 cm each
Courtesy of the artist and Chemould Prescott Road, Mumbai
Overview
Varunika Saraf draws upon archival and mythical imagery to reference complex histories of South Asia and their place in the political and social arrangements of contemporary India. Saraf presents poetic and timely visions of India’s history through a constellation of 76 hand- embroidered works. We, The People (2018–2022) bears witness to overlooked and erased histories that upset the dominant narrative of progress and development. These combined moments, gathered from news archives and photographs, present a new map of collective memory. She intentionally leaves one map in the series empty to signify the inevitable incompleteness of the project.
