I remember creating the \”The river\’s heart is on fire. \” installation, inspired by my experience at the Santaran Art Camp in Alikadam, Bandar Bon. The installation aimed to capture the contrast between the natural beauty of the area and the underlying fear that exists due to political tensions.
To create the installation, I set up a floating fire on the clear waters of the Matamuhuri River and made a garland of light on the way to cross the river in the evening. The garland was made by combining the river\’s current and clear water with an earthen bowl.
My experience at the Santaran Art Camp was a catalyst for the installation. Although I intended to concentrate on my studies for my MA exam preparation, I was invited to enter the camp and agreed under certain conditions. I used the opportunity to advance my studies and did not draw pictures in the camp.
After ten days, a day-long performance and installation activity centered around the Alikadam Bazar ghat of the Matamuhuri River began. Despite the stress from general Pahari, the Bengali leader\’s response, and the underlying fear in the area, many beautiful and serious artistic expressions were revealed at the end of the day.
Through the \”The river\’s heart is on fire.\” installation, I wanted to create a sense of contrast that would resonate with local hill Bengali walkers and encourage dialogue about the underlying fear that exists in the area. The combination of fire and water symbolizes the contrast between nature\’s beauty and the underlying fear that exists, and I hope that the installation sparks a meaningful conversation.