The Sculpture Park at Madhavendra Palace, Nahargarh Fort, Jaipur
Fourth Edition: January 28th to December 1st, 2024
Curated by Peter Nagy
Artists exhibited:
Avantika Bawa (USA/India), Sudipta Das (India), Nandan Ghiya (India), Bhuvanesh Gowda (India), Murari Jha (India), Megha Joshi (India), Vineet Kacker (India), Suhasini Kejriwal (India), Per Kirkeby (Denmark), Riyas Komu (India), Alicja Kwade (Germany), Martha-Marie LeBars (France).
The Saat Saath Arts Foundation, in collaboration with the Government of Rajasthan, is proud to present the Fourth Edition of the Sculpture Park at Madhavendra Palace, Nahargarh Fort, Jaipur. Curated by Peter Nagy, the exhibition presented the three-dimensional works of artists within the courtyard and apartments of the 19th Century Palace, constructed within a 17th Century Fort. Indian and international artists presented works that challenge our conceptions of what sculpture is, moving away from conventions and exploring a wide variety of materials, subjects, and approaches. In some cases, artists created new site-specific works inspired by and responding to the architecture of the palace and the context of Jaipur, while other artists chose works to display within the elaborately decorated spaces of the palace to bring new perspectives to their creations, which are most usually displayed in the white box spaces of museums and art galleries. In all cases, a dialogue is created between a historical structure, being its own hybridized confection, and contemporary art; enriching the experiences of all visitors to Nahargarh Fort while promoting the reinvigoration of India’s heritage culture.
The centerpiece of 2024's exhibition was a new installation created for the courtyard space of Madhavendra Palace by the artist, Alicja Kwade.
Superposition, Kwade’s installation was comprised of interlocking steel frames that unravel similarly to a folding screen. Within this arrangement, some frames stood bare, while four were equipped with double-sided mirrors. The installation was complemented by bronze chairs, each adorned with a substantial stone sphere sourced from local Indian vendors that evoke planets and distant worlds. Positioned in front of or behind the frames, they occasionally mirrored each other symmetrically or cast reflections within the mirrored panels. The interplay between transparency and reflection created a spatial confusion that was hard to unravel.
At first glance, it seems impossible to decipher how a chair can be visible, yet its reflection is not. As the viewer moves around the sculpture, one phenomenon might be explained, yet new ones emerge. The individual elements disrupt the view and open up spaces that create renewed confusion. The viewer’s perception was enhanced by the surrounding courtyard of the 19th-century Madhavendra Palace, with its own repeated motifs. Kwade’s installation invited contemplation into the essence of our existence and prompted us to reflect on our relationship with the world. Balancing poetry with critical insight, Kwade challenges the systems devised to eliminate uncertainty and bring order to an otherwise understandable universe.