[En]counters: The Fluid City | Mrigjal – The Mirage (Installation)

Public Art Installation
February 5 to 13, 2011 | 10.00 am – 8.00 pm
In partnership with ArtOxygen and Kala Ghoda Festival, Mumbai

Mrigjal – the Mirage by Sharmila Samant is part of an on-going public art project co-produced by the Mohile Parikh Center and ArtOxygen. In association with Amar Joshi, a water diviner and geologist, this intervention by the artist employed a divinatory and scientific technique to locate existing water bodies that still lie under the city, now veiled over by buildings, roads, encroachments. This intervention raises urgent questions about the history of water bodies and its unequal distribution in the city while marking two contested sites: Kala Ghoda, Fort and Annabhau Sathe Nagar, Mankhurd.

As a community art initiative, this project also proposes actual social change with plans to improve existing wells in Annabhau Sathe Nagar (a disadvantaged area) through funds raised at the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival, Mumbai.  The first edition of five art pieces will be sold as part of this fundraiser.  These art pieces are night-lamps which are smaller versions of the actual installations and can be placed in interiors. This project is a non-profit initiative and all the funds raised will be used towards the development of the wells at Mankhurd.