The Edge: An art exhibition that celebrates diversity and community

A region riven by conflict comes together to express hope through ordinary lives

In the South Asian context, there has been nothing ordinary about the past decade. Curator of an art exhibition in Delhi titled “The Edge”, art historian Yashodhara Dalmia sees life in South Asia as a roiling cauldron of despair. And it is this common sentiment that has brought together artists from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal and India, to speak out through their art about the issues that plague our times.

Untitled by Karan Shrestha | Photo: Courtesy Shrine Empire

“The issues of people across the borders are very similar to ours,” says Dalmia. The polarisation and lack of governance, the haphazard development and marginalisation — these issues both divide us and trap us together. Sumedh Rajendran’s artwork shows people trapped behind steel fencing. Sri Lankan artist Anoli Perera’s “Masked” series reflects on the lives of people in a country ravaged by civil war. “But it’s not just about the aftermath of the war,” says Dalmia. “Isn’t the struggle of ordinary life also a kind of violence?”

Nataraj Sharma’s Orchid Plantina Phase 2 | Photo: Courtesy Shrine Empire

In Orchid Plantina Phase 2, Nataraj Sharma paints a village outside Vadodara once frequented by people wanting to escape the stresses of city life. But the last decade of unplanned development has robbed the place of its quietude. Dalmia points to the man in the middle of the canvas. Though surrounded by concrete on all sides, he is still savouring his jalebis. “It’s the resilience of the people, the endurance, that gives us hope,” she says.

Indo River by Nicola Strippoli Tarshito with Anand Kumar Shyam | Photo: Courtesy Shrine Empire

Not just the expression but also the quality, imagination and the palpable energy of these 15 artists — which include names like Gigi Scaria, Jagath Weerasinghe and Karan Shrestha — says Dalmia, made her bring the art under one roof. The two-week long exhibition kickstarts the 10th anniversary of Delhi’s Shrine Empire Gallery, which will be followed by curated exhibitions and panel discussions spread over the year.

Sumedh Rajendran’s steel installation | Photo: Courtesy Shrine Empire

‘The Edge’ is on display at Bikaner House in New Delhi till September 22