Spread over 16,000 sq ft, with large warehouse spaces, a grass-laden courtyard, and a waterfront dockyard, The Pepper House, a 16th century building on Kalvathy Road in Fort Kochi, was a centre for the spices trade. Today, it is a befitting setting for ‘Pepper Cross’, an ongoing exhibition of installations, sculptures and photographs of the internationally renowned Indian installation artist Subodh Kerkar.
It won’t be amusing to notice that for Subodh who hails from Goa - the land of beaches - all the works have a direct or indirect connect to the ocean. And through Pepper Cross, he explores the role of the ocean as the medium of intercontinental cultural diffusion.
“The ocean has always inspired me in my works,” he says. “It is a wonder how oceans are capable of separating and joining two continents. The beginning of this planet, the origin of life, and the flourishing of civilisations…the oceans have witnessed it all. Thus, our very own existence and history is intricately woven with oceans.”
While entering the heritage building, the first thing one sees is the finely chiselled ‘Chicken Cafreal’ and a work named ‘Colombus’. At first glance both installations appear to be a craft etched out in black rock, but, on a closer look, one realises that the artist has made use of fibreglass and rubber tyres to make them.
“Chicken Cafreal has an interesting story attached to it,” says Subodh. “During the 16th century, thousands of African slaves were brought to Goa and were recruited in the Portuguese army.”
In the army camp, the slaves cooked chicken using local spices and coriander (coriander came from Europe). The Portuguese officer liked the chicken and named it ‘Chicken Cafreal’. “It was called Cafreal because the black Negros were called ‘Kafirs’ by the Arabs,” says Subodh. “And since then this dish has become the most popular dish of Goa as well as Portugal.”
Another myth is that a young Spanish stranger was passing through Barcelos, Portugal. He was arrested for stealing silver. The judge sentenced him to death by hanging. The Spaniard however pleaded his innocence before the judge during a banquet party. The prisoner said that the Roast Chicken would start crowing if he was sentenced to death.
When they put the noose around the prisoner’s neck, the Roast Chicken actually stood and started crowing. “The accused was set free and since then the Rooster of Barcelos (Galo de Barcelos) has become a symbol of Portugal,” says Subodh, who specialises in creating works using natural materials like bamboo, stones, pebbles, wood and mussel shells.
As the title of the exhibition implies, Subodh’s creation of the installation, ‘Pepper Cross’, sheds light on how the Portuguese came to Goa and took over the pepper trade from the Arabs and spread the Christian faith. Subodh has amalgamated trade and faith by sculpting a big cross using a 100-year-old hull of a fishing boat and a pair of oars. The entire sculpture is covered with textures depicting peppercorns.
Another interesting series is ‘The Chillies’. Through Chillies, the artist tells the trans-oceanic commerce that led to an exchange of different plants and food. Sharing curious facts about chillies, Subodh says, “Chillies has become such an indispensable item of our cuisine that very few Indians are aware that they are not indigenous. Chillies came to India from South America during the beginning of the 16th century and today India is the largest producer of chillies in the world.” To create the bright red coloured installation of chillies, the artist has used fiberglass and tyre skins.
It is interesting to know that Subodh, who has been travelling in the path of art for the past 20 years, was a doctor by profession.
Ask him from where he inherited the creative streak, he says, “My father was an artist and since childhood I used to paint in watercolours but it never occurred to me that I would end up as an artist. I was good at academics and chose medicine as my profession. But after practicing for a while, I felt I needed a change. So, finally, I decided to pursue something that is more creative.”
The artist says that there is a dire need of galleries and museums to preserve installation arts. “Installations are museum pieces that are invaluable and preserving them is essential as layers of history is hidden behind these pieces,” says Subodh.
