Eco conscience: Vibha Galhotra’s creations comment on New Delhi pollution

While it’s certainly the norm for world leaders to call attention to dire environmental issues, New Delhi-based artist Vibha Galhotra addresses similar concerns in her compelling oeuvre, which is currently on view at Jack Shainman Gallery in New York City. Titled ‘Vibha Galhotra: Absur-City-Pity-Dity’, the exhibition focuses on the heavily polluted Yamuna River, considered one of the world’s most contaminated rivers as well as on severe urban sprawl through video, sculpture, tapestry, photography and installation art.
‘Vibha’s work is haunting as she reveals in a very real way the erosion related to that river as well as the extreme overcrowding in so many of India’s cities, yet at same time marked by sheer beauty,’ says Shainman. ‘Her work is a kind of visual reportage and document along with a meditative statement all at once.’
Even the materials Galhotra uses directly reference the river. For her 2015 installation project 365 days, she collected river sediment in approximately three hundred and sixty five small glass vials accompanied by both photographs and message related to the river. Elsewhere are swathes of white cotton which when drenched in the river have turned to a morbid black, which she then encases in resin.
Then Galhotra’s complex tapestry Majanu ka tilla, is composed of ghungroos, small metal bells worn by women in traditional Indian dance. Arranged in an amorphous shape, the composition is crowded, almost claustrophobic speaking of the increasing density of cities.
‘I know of no other artist who conveys such a powerful message’ says Shainman.
The exhibition also expresses New Delhi's severe urban sprawl through video, sculpture, tapestry, photography and installation art
A closer look at '365 days', in which the artist collected river sediment in approximately three hundred and sixty five small glass vials and installed them with both photographs and message related to the river
Galhotra uses materials that directly references the river, such as vials of river sediment or white cotton soaked in its muddy waters
Galhotra’s complex tapestry Majanu ka tilla, is composed of ghungroos, small metal bells worn by women in traditional Indian dance
Arranged in an amorphous shape, the composition is crowded, almost claustrophobic speaking of the increasing density of cities
‘Vibna’s work is haunting as she reveals in a very real way the erosion related to that river as well as the extreme overcrowding in so many of India’s cities, yet at same time marked by sheer beauty,’ says Shainman
A more detailed view of 'Majnu Ka Tila' (2015) - a piece made from nickel coated ghungroos, fabric, wood and polyurethane
INFORMATION
‘Vibha Galtrova: Abur-City-Pity-Dity’ iruns until 5 December
Photography courtesy of the artist and Jack Shaiman Gallery
ADDRESS
Jack Shainman Gallery
513 West 20th Street
New York
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
-
Enter Marea Beverly Hills, an Italian restaurant with Californian gusto
Conceptualised by Nusla Design and led by chef PJ Calapa, Marea Beverly Hills brings in a sophisticated dining party ambience to flourishing Camden Drive
By Carole Dixon Published
-
The story behind Pamela Anderson’s dazzling costumes in ‘The Last Showgirl’
‘The Last Showgirl’ costume designer Jacqueline Getty unpacks Pamela Anderson’s outfits in the Gia Coppola-directed movie, which are rooted in the glittering history of the Las Vegas revue
By Zoe Whitfield Published
-
Walk through Frinton Park Estate and its Streamline Moderne aesthetic
‘Frinton Park Estate’, a new book by photographer James Weston, delves into the history of a modernist housing scheme in Essex, England
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
‘American Photography’: centuries-spanning show reveals timely truths
At the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, Europe’s first major survey of American photography reveals the contradictions and complexities that have long defined this world superpower
By Daisy Woodward Published
-
Miami’s new Museum of Sex is a beacon of open discourse
The Miami outpost of the cult New York destination opened last year, and continues its legacy of presenting and celebrating human sexuality
By Anna Solomon Published
-
Sundance Film Festival 2025: The films we can't wait to watch
Sundance Film Festival, which runs 23 January - 2 February, has long been considered a hub of cinematic innovation. These are the ones to watch from this year’s premieres
By Stefania Sarrubba Published
-
What is RedNote? Inside the social media app drawing American users ahead of the US TikTok ban
Downloads of the Chinese-owned platform have spiked as US users look for an alternative to TikTok, which faces a ban on national security grounds. What is Rednote, and what are the implications of its ascent?
By Anna Solomon Published
-
Architecture and the new world: The Brutalist reframes the American dream
Brady Corbet’s third feature film, The Brutalist, demonstrates how violence is a building block for ideology
By Billie Walker Published
-
Inside Luna Luna: the amusement park designed by artists lands in New York
‘Luna Luna: Forgotten Fantasy’ – featuring rides by Basquiat, Lichtenstein, Hockney, Haring, and Dalí – has opened at The Shed
By Osman Can Yerebakan Published
-
Henni Alftan’s paintings frame everyday moments in cinematic renditions
Concurrent exhibitions in New York and Shanghai celebrate the mesmerising mystery in Henni Alftan’s paintings
By Osman Can Yerebakan Published
-
Brutalism in film: the beautiful house that forms the backdrop to The Room Next Door
The Room Next Door's production designer discusses mood-boarding and scene-setting for a moving film about friendship, fragility and the final curtain
By Anne Soward Published