Amar Kanwar's Documentary Practice Examined in Artpress Feature
Amar Kanwar, an artist from New Delhi born in 1964, is recognized for his multi-channel video installations that critique socio-political issues. His installation The Torn First Pages (2004-2008), which consists of 19 channels, pays tribute to Ko Than Htay, a jailed Burmese bookseller, and journalists from the Associated Press. Another notable work, The Face, includes covert footage of Burmese General Than Shwe at the site of Gandhi's cremation (2004). Kanwar's political engagement is influenced by the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and the Bhopal gas disaster. He is an alumnus of Jamia Millia Islamia University. His films A Season Outside (1998) and A Night of Prophecy (2002) were featured at Documenta 11, while Lightning Testimonies (2007) debuted at Documenta 12. His most recent installation at the Centre Pompidou (2011) focuses on resource extraction.
Key facts
- Amar Kanwar born 1964 in New Delhi.
- The Torn First Pages (2004-2008) is a 19-channel video installation dedicated to Ko Than Htay.
- The Face features General Than Shwe throwing rose petals at Gandhi's cremation site in New Delhi (2004).
- Kanwar witnessed 1984 anti-Sikh riots and Bhopal disaster.
- Studied at Centre for Mass Communication Research, Jamia Millia Islamia University, Delhi.
- A Season Outside and A Night of Prophecy shown at Documenta 11 (2002).
- Lightning Testimonies premiered at Documenta 12 (2007).
- New installation at Centre Pompidou (2011) addresses Orissa resource extraction.
Entities
Artists
- Amar Kanwar
- Ko Than Htay
- Than Shwe
- Mahatma Gandhi
- Indira Gandhi
- James Beveridge
- Prakash Jadhav
- Wamandada Kardak
- Gaddar
- Mahashweta Devi
- Devika Singh
Institutions
- Associated Press
- Centre Pompidou
- Documenta 11
- Documenta 12
- The Renaissance Society
- National Museum of Art and Design Oslo
- Whitechapel Art Gallery
- Apeejay Media Gallery
- Musée d'art contemporain Lyon
- Sharjah Biennale
- Yorkshire Sculpture Park
- National Museum of Contemporary Art Athens
- Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya
- Jamia Millia Islamia University
- Time Magazine
- Union Carbide
- Democratic Voice of Burma
Locations
- New Delhi
- India
- Burma
- Wagah
- Punjab
- Bhopal
- Orissa
- Oslo
- London
- Paris
- Lyon
- Sharjah
- Wakefield
- Athens
- Mumbai
- Hyderabad
- Nagaland
- Kashmir
- Bangladesh
- United States
- Norway
- Cambridge
- United Kingdom
Sources
- artpress —