Jiten Thukral and Sumir Tagra are an artist duo from New Delhi, India, best known for their unique contemporary art. The duo has been working together since 2004. Unlike most artists, Thukral and Tagra are unique for their use of mixed media to showcase their ideas. Most popular contemporary artists are known for their ability to express their ideas through sculpture and painting, but this duo takes it to the next level. They not only work with sculpture and painting, they also create installations, make video games, and experiment with design.
Like many contemporary artists, Thukral and Tagra tackle social issues through their artwork. Their main inspiration is to promote the creation of inclusive social environments through art by prying away the boundaries of Indian (and universal) social status. This is most evident in one of their installments at Yorkshire Sculpture Park called “Farmer is a Wrestler.”
The installment is an interactive game in which visitors assume wrestling positions that are inspired by the hardships of Indian farmers. Indian farmers have been subject to the effects of climate change, lack of political protection, and limited access to a formal education in the rural communities they belong to. This has left many farmers in a vulnerable position, both physically and mentally.
The installment is very informed, with Thukral and Tagra both doing extensive research into the issue. In the state of Maharashtra alone, 2,498 farmers ended their lives because of the immense debt they have accumulated from bank loans (The Times of India). Once they had come to understand the agony these farmers live in on a day-to-day basis, they decided to create an installation that would physically and mentally challenge its visitors so that they could better connect to the farmers’ hardship.
The wrestling positions that visitors are instructed to assume are from the sport of Kushti, a traditional Indian form of wrestling that is still practiced today. Thukral observed the sport being performed in his own hometown to decide on the maneuvers that would be implemented into the installation. My favorite features of the exhibit are the wall paintings and the design of the game. On the walls, paintings depict the farmers’ positions melting into each other, forming one distinct constant motion. The farmers are all painted white, but the area surrounding them is full of life and color. The game design is brilliant. There are numbers that correspond to different positions. By completing all of the positions on the game mat, you will be able to successfully connect with the farmers. What is really interesting is the shape of the mat. It is circular, indicative of the compounding nature of the farmers’ stresses.
My favorite piece by Thukral and Tagra is “Animus-3” (pictured above). Similarly to popular contemporary artists like Takashi Murakami, the duo enjoys mixing media, experimenting with consumer trends, juxtaposing Eastern and Western culture, and most importantly, utilizing surrealism to provoke thought. Surprisingly, what I love most about this piece is that it has no clear message. It is very reminiscent of Salvador Dali, with nonsensical objects occupying the landscape. Paintings that are up to our interpretation are always compelling. I like how the artists painted in negative space around the interior landscape. It makes it feel like I am peering into a different dimension. The disturbance of the water also gives the landscape life, even though the objects around it seem inanimate.
Analyzing Thukral and Tagra art has reminded me of why I enjoy authentic contemporary art so much. In recent years, the production of insightful contemporary art has declined because of the dominance and profitability of popular culture and trends. It upsets me that contemporary art has taken this unexpected tangent, so I am glad that artists like Thukral and Tagra are keeping stimulating and meaningful contemporary art alive.
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