Works · ExhibitionFound-object sculpture

Purana Dost

In the end, we’ll all become stories. But what if we all stem from stories?

Purana Dost creates a narrative conversation between the viewer and everyday objects through storytelling. Drawing on facial pareidolia and the anthropomorphic qualities we lend to inanimate things, each piece develops a character from an encounter with an ordinary object.

Found objects are photographed, manipulated, translated into words and built into life-size conversational sculptures. Humorous and functional, they ask us to think about the marginal things we tend to ignore: objects that stay invisible, stories that are not told, and feelings muted by the buzz of everyday life.

Blue-Doo

Recycled containers, found objects; fabric construction and manipulation

The story of Mr Haha-Do, a once very happy person who had a permanent resident, a bird, on his crazy hairdo. After its departure his life faded into blue. The character talks about the impact of presence and departure, even of those we barely interact with but still have around.

Mr Haha-Do once had a bird on his crazy hairdoBut it flew…Why? He had no clueMaybe he could have used a better glue?Since that day his life had turned all blue.

Purana Dost

Reclaimed 50-year-old roshandaan; handwoven jaali and print

Inspired by an encounter with an old roshandaan that gave the impression of someone keeping an eye over you: a friend and companion who knows all the songs of your soul and has kept all your secrets locked in his heart.

Ao dikhaon tumko ik past ka ghostCome, I’ll show you a ghost from the pastJiskay saath hass hass kar ho jatay thay hum laut pautWith whom we laughed like crazyBaray huay hum saath saathWe grew up togetherHar raaz chupa kar rakhta tha woh apnay andarHe kept every secret buried in his heartUmar bhar ka hai humara yaaranaWe are companions for lifeHamesha kaam aata hai mera dost puranaMy old friend is always there in times of need

Firangi Dibba

Reclaimed container, fan top and lights; hand embroidered, screen printed and assembled

The story of an age-ridden box who wanted to relive his life and fly across the world. The sculpture is his transition: rejecting the idea of age and filling himself with colour and life all over again.

Ik tha dibbaThere was a boxKamzor nazar, tooti kamar, humara buddhaWeak eyesight, broken back, our old manHona chahta tha woh phir say zindaHe wanted to come back to life all over againRangon say bhar dena chahta tha woh apnay zangHe wanted to fill his rusted parts with colour

Bozo

Reclaimed television and commercial trolley; hand woven

Bozo was the first clown to appear on children’s television, in 1949. An old television fixed to a trolley, both pointing towards entertainment, with the clown’s colours and the television’s bars merged into one identity.

Name: BozoPlace of birth: Children’s televisionGenre: EntertainmentOccupation: Troll and rollColour: Rainbow

Loaded Shoaded

Reclaimed trunk, cycle tyres, found objects and garments; surface manipulation

A suitcase from a world where status is measured by how much luggage you carry. Sad at being empty, he runs away and loads himself with every piece of clothing he comes across.

I came across a case, a suitcaseHe had a very sad faceAbout being a useless empty caseAnd he wanted to change his fateAnd fill himself to a point that no hollow space would stay.

9 O’Clock

Reclaimed bucket, stool base, found objects; print

A tribute to childhood, when cartoon time was set at nine o’clock and all those on-screen friends would meet us at the same time every night, everywhere.

Tick tock, tick tock, it’s 9 o’clockShut the light, stop the fightFasten your sight9 is here, they are hereTick tock, tick tock, it is 9 o’clock.

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