Review Compares MoMA's South Asian Architecture Exhibition to Karim's Book

A review by Vishal Khandelwal in ARTMargins Online compares The Museum of Modern Art's 2022 exhibition "The Project of Independence: Architectures of Decolonization in South Asia, 1947-1985" to Farhan Karim's 2019 book "Of Greater Dignity Than Riches: Austerity and Housing Design in India." The review examines how each work approaches architecture and design in 20th-century South Asia, highlighting their distinct formats and scopes. Both draw attention to the ideas and aspirations behind regional architecture, as expressed by architects, designers, bureaucrats, construction workers, intellectuals, and critics. The review juxtaposes their variant critical ends and discusses how focusing on representation enhances understanding of architectural production and historical narratives.