Navjot Altaf's Eco-Feminist Retrospective at PAV Turin

The PAV in Turin continues its series on art and ecology in Asia with a solo exhibition of Navjot Altaf (born 1949, Meerut), a key figure in Indian eco-feminist activism for over forty years. Curated by Marco Scotini, the show traces Altaf's artistic and socio-political journey from the 1970s, featuring posters by the Marxist collective PROYOM formed by recent Bombay art academy graduates. Altaf's practice targets social issues such as mining exploitation, intensive agriculture, and deforestation that undermine indigenous rights. The video installation "Soul Breath Wind" (2014) depicts multinational mining violence and popular resistance. "Trail of Impunity" shows footage of the 2002 Gujarat riots, highlighting political corruption against rural communities. The sculptural group "Patterns which Connect" features fossil-like casts of endangered insects, warning of ecological collapse. The exhibition critiques capitalism and explores feminist perspectives, referencing Indian scholars Vandana Shiva, Bina Agarwal, and Meera Nanda. Altaf's work emphasizes women's roles in oppressive systems and anti-capitalist struggles.