The Complexity of Democracy: Kaladham as a Case Study (Part 2)

In its second iteration, Anita Dube reimagines the exhibition format, drawing from artistic practices in Kaladham while deepening her exploration of a polyphonic principle—one attuned to a post-colonial condition and the contradictions that reflect socio-political economies. The first part of the exhibition The Complexity of Democracy tried to challenge the liberal notion of a level playing field by annotating the caste, class, religion, and economic background of the artists but could not break out of the conventions of exhibition-making. In this second iteration, Dube moves towards another structure, that of a mela, out of necessity, resulting in a festive field of thought, play, and camaraderie—one that can include many diverse practices and, in the process, propose a polyphonic curatorial principle attuned to our messy post-colonial conditions, full of contradictions that mirror socio-political economies.