Kahani

 SPECIAL EVENING VIEW OF DESHNA SHAH'S EXHIBITION

I was initially introduced to Deshna Shah and her work through the History of Art side of my Oxford life. I work as an intern at the Pembroke JCR Art Gallery where the exhibition was held. Deshna is the winner of the 2021 Emery Prize, an annual prize that is awarded by the gallery to a finalist of the university or Ruskin School of Art. 

Deshna's art is insanely cool. For this particular exhibition, she encoded a letter from a friend/family member in her own twilight language and spelled it out in rice across the gallery floor (based on a tradition called rangoli). She also had woodblock paintings on the wall that depicted the letter written out in a spiral pattern. In the centre of the gallery was a greenhouse which viewers could step inside of to smell spices and chai (from a diffuser). 

Her worked is heavily connected with her Indian culture and shows a pride that is admirable. Deshna and her work are a great role model – she encourages others to find the same confidence in their own cultural identity. She plays with tradition in unconventional ways; for instance, the installation form and the decoding of the letter are a playful and 'Trojan horse' means of leading viewers to explore heavier themes of family. The greenhouse scents are immersive but can also be relatable for viewers of similar backgrounds. In her interview, Deshna discusses how, as a child, she was embarrassed by the scents in her home and would attempt to mask them with Febreeze before guests arrived; however, she also notes that it is ultimately impossible to escape a smell. Although I personally am not connected to my Indian roots, I love the smell of chai and found the space comforting. I also loved seeing contemporary art from a non-western tradition, as this is something that I think is often overlooked by western museums and galleries. This exhibition, especially in conjunction with Ali Kazim's exhibition at the Ashmolean, makes me optimistic that this is changing. 

I helped with the installation for a few hours one weekend. We erected the greenhouse, hung the paintings, spaced out the letters, and wrote out the symbols in rice. I am by no means an artist, but I really enjoyed my time in the gallery. Deshna – in addition to being evidently talented – is a sweet and beautiful person. 

Given my interest in film, she also asked me to film the Special Evening View of the exhibition (5 March 2022). The evening included an interview with Deshna, exploring the gallery, and a pub trip. The evening was a hit and Deshna's interview was very interesting. I recorded the interview and some B-roll footage in the gallery space. Deshna later sent me an interview/recording between her and a friend who had come to visit the exhibition. I put everything together in a video. 

-Emma