Emran Sohel’s ‘Response to Numbness’ concludes today
"Response to Numbness", an ongoing experience-sharing initiative, is an exhibition by Emran Sohel, with live performances and critical discussion sessions. The two-day event concludes today. Supported by Goethe-Institut under the banner of 'A Future Beyond the Self' and being an extension of the 'zero waste of food art' philosophy, this exhibition aims at exhaling the various frustrations induced by the anxiety related to the global pandemic.
The event consists of a rooftop vegetable garden in Amina Manjil, South Khilgaon. Sohel, along with his family, started this project during the nationwide shutdown under the name, "Zero waste food art", organised by Britto Art Trust, which then quickly went on to become an immersive and communal experience as more and more people around the apartment and neighbourhood joined in.
"Although we are not exactly planting enough vegetables for daily consumption for all these people, the whole exhibition worked as a healing process. Even my 80-year-old grandmother joined in!" says Sohel. He went on to stress that mingling nature in its root embedded in agriculture within the art he creates has been nothing short of a romantic escapade for him. However, Sohel also emphasised on the disastrous effects of harmful chemical and lethal insecticides on the quality of the soil and stated that he only used organic methods such as vermicomposting, and materials such as tea bags, eggshells, chili dust, turmeric, and onion vinegar, during the entire process.
When asked about who some of his inspirations are, Sohel said, "I am very drawn to the kind of art which minimises the space between the artist and the art itself. I like art which is an extension of the soul of the artist; somewhere where I can find the essence of the creator of the piece." Sohel is a Dhaka-based artist who studied in Shantiniketan, India.
He fondly remembers his days as a performance artist there. The role of nature crept into his works seamlessly over the years. However, he also talked about how his prominent works deal with matters of suppression and rebellion, and are highly politically-charged in nature.
Sohel further stated that hosting this exhibition was enlightening for him. His next works will also circle around making nature and agriculture more inclusive within the inherent harshness of urban life.