Nalini Malani's 'Animation Chamber' at Whitechapel Gallery Engages Sociopolitical Themes

At London's Whitechapel Gallery, Nalini Malani presents an engaging nine-channel installation named 'Can You Hear Me?'. This work transforms four brick walls into what Malani describes as an 'animation chamber', showcasing 88 intertwined animations filled with rough figures, faces, and narratives. The installation incorporates quotes from notable authors such as Milan Kundera, Veena Das, Martin Luther King, Jr., Marcel Proust, and Samuel Beckett, accompanied by soundtracks featuring a female voice urging 'Feel better' and 'Try it again' amidst scenes of figures collapsing and rising. Addressing themes of violence, power, and sociopolitical challenges in India, it also touches on gender, class, race, COVID-19, and environmental issues. Specific animations portray distressing images, including a man gouging another's eyes, with fleeting phrases like 'Waiting for Godot' and 'Endgame.' Malani began these diary-like animations on her iPad in 2017, crafting a rich tapestry of images and sounds that evoke deep emotions. The exhibition is open from 23 September to 6 June, offering a dizzying experience with rapidly shifting sequences. One animation features a silhouette raising a blood-splattered club, while another depicts a figure dragging themselves, signing 'Can you hear me?'