Archana Hande's 'The Last Rust' at Chemould Prescott Road

Archana Hande's solo exhibition, 'The Last Rust', is set to take place at Chemould Prescott Road in Mumbai from 7 March to 30 April 2026. This showcase reimagines scrap metal and other discarded materials into sculptures that challenge Indian national symbols and reflect societal decline. Influenced by Émile Durkheim's totemism, Hande examines iconic figures like the national bird and animal without sentimentality. Pieces such as 'The Royal Bengal Tiger' and 'The Indian Peninsula Peacock' are crafted from items like blades and sickles sourced from flea markets in Mumbai and Bengaluru. The exhibition features 'Historical Amnesia', created with carbon paper from a typist near the Bombay Sessions Court. Accompanying text by architect Rohan Shivkumar discusses the social histories intertwined with these objects. Originally conceived for the 2022 Kochi-Muziris Biennale, Hande later filmed the destruction of her installations, which she has now reconstructed for this exhibition. The artist interprets rust as a symbol of the erosion of democratic and secular values in India, alluding to the renaming of landmarks and the removal of content from textbooks. Additionally, her work includes 'Weaving Light', an installation made from jacquard punched cards, and a series from 2011 documenting discarded religious idols. Gallerist Shireen Gandhy reflected on the demolition video, emphasizing Hande's ongoing cycle of creation and decay.