Indianama 2020 Showcases Art That Illustrates India’s ‘What Ifs’

Fifty artists exhibit India’s historic twists at Indianama 2020.

Artwork displayed at the Indianama exhibit 

Photo courtesy: The Quint/Shah Umar 

India’s multiplicity has always been one of its most distinct features as a nation. Keeping in mind the current state of affairs in lieu of the political and socio-cultural turmoil that India finds itself in, Indianama’s fourth edition brings us, yet again, art for conversation.

Ever since the initiative started, Indianama has acted as a forum, where artists across boundaries have brought in fascinating opinions on relevant themes unifying India. The exhibit is a curated visual journey that brings together artists who use the mediums of graphic art, paintings and even motion posters to express their refreshing take on India.

These illustrations are practically nuanced visual essays, some make you chuckle and some might give you a shudder or two. This year over 50 artists gathered to create pieces that brushed upon a rather interesting theme, historic twists in India-the what ifs, the maybes.

Taking artist Mayur Mengle’s work as an example, where they’ve imagined Devdas finding himself unhealthily addicted to junk food, is inspired by the possibility of a permanent alcohol ban in the country.

In this piece artist Priyanka Karyekar imagines the turn of events that would happen if Hinduism became the dominant world religion.

And over here we see artist Mrinal Kumar depicting a possibility where both Indian graduates, be it men or women had to mandatorily serve in the Indian army.

Artist and illustrator Ankit Kapoor, who was displaying his work at Indianama for the first time, told us how he feels art, in an environment of turmoil and censorship, is a beautiful means to disagree.

“There’s a lot of work out here that’s political but it needn’t mean that it offends people”

Ankit Kapoor to The Quint 

We also caught up with renowned artist and painter Sudeep Roy who was attending the exhibit and he spoke to us how censorship in India is stringent more than ever before.

“I was talking to a construction worker, asking him why they’ve been overcharging and he told me that the government has made toilets for us, but what’s the point of toilets when you don’t have what you need to use them for, food”

Sudeep Roy to the Quint

He spoke about the dire need for creatives to come forward and speak against injustice.

“The power that creatives like artists, poets and writers possess is much stronger than that of the Delhi police or the army”

Sudeep Roy to the Quint