At Nature Morte in Delhi’s Dhan Mill compound, artist Murari Jha presents ‘The Future of Nostalgia’, a solo exhibition that turns memory, nostalgia, and everyday objects into various sculptural forms. On till May 17, the exhibition features works made from materials such as stone, bronze, wood, brass, aluminium and synthetic putty.
Through abstract and familiar-looking forms, Jha explores ideas of home, migration, memory and belonging. Besides being a visual artist, Jha is also engaged with performance art. He started with painting before moving towards performance during his time in Delhi, as he realized that performance could even become an extension of paintings and artworks, while also helping him understand his relationship with time, space, and the audience.
A live durational performance will also be held at Nature Morte on May 16, where Jha will perform within the exhibition space alongside his works. He describes the ongoing show as an “extended form of performance”, where the gallery space functions like a stage for the artist, and the sculptures act like performative objects or theatrical props.
The idea of ‘home’
Jha notes that much of his work has focused on understanding the meaning of ‘home’, especially after moving from Bihar to Delhi for higher studies. However, he often felt disconnected from the language used around ideas like migration and displacement in the art world.
“I wanted to understand what home means for me without using fixed terms like migration,” he remarks. “For me, moving to a city was also connected with excitement and new experiences.” This exploration of new experiences is thus reflected in his performance arts and sculptural works.
The artworks have been kept untitled. Jha says he deliberately shaped the sculptures into abstract forms, so viewers can bring their own memories and interpretations to the work. “I don’t want to reveal the exact identity of any object,” he says. “Every object has an emotional connection for me, but I try to dilute it into a more collective understanding.” Hence, with their own interpretation of the works, Jha says that the “viewers thus become co-creators of meaning”, their participation also plays an important role in shaping the show’s narrative.
The featured artworks include a collection of intricately carved legs from traditional Indian cots, or charpais; a towering pole similar to those used in pole gymnastics, or mallakhamb; a bronze sculpture resembling a canopied hut-like structure; and another form that is like an earthen cooking tandoor. Through these transformations of everyday objects, the works evoke memories and a sense of familiarity.
Art as self-education
Jha says that when he first started learning sculpture, he worked with M-seal, a synthetic putty usually used as an adhesive. He began using it for performance props, and it gradually became the primary material in his sculptural practice. Over time, he expanded his work to include metals such as bronze, brass, and aluminium.
He remarks that art also functions as a form of self-education for him—he realised early on that art helped him understand the world and himself better. “For me, art is an educational tool,” he said, adding, “I practice art to educate myself.”