As you walk up the stark-white stairwell, you glimpse the outside greenery through large windows and the glass skylight. The lushness seems to mirror in Datta’s exhibit on the first floor, which is presented amidst artfully arranged live foliage. Here, donated clothing items from Manipur and the Aomori prefecture of Japan hang suspended, either on walls or wires, taking on a spectre-like quality. The pieces are designed without a body in mind and offer a commentary on clothing as indicators of identity as well as items of subjugation and intimidation. The scent of earth and plants adds another sensory dimension, the foliage itself morphing over the course of the exhibition. While the displayed pieces have been created exclusively for TRI, they represent a continuation of Datta’s long-term inquiry into native clothing practices across Asia and Africa.
TRI will have a rotating calendar of exhibitions curated in-house as well as in partnership with guest and visiting curators. Beyond the visual arts, there will be varied cultural programming, including performances, workshops, panels, lectures, community-based artmaking, etc. TRI will eventually turn into a larger cultural complex, encompassing the building next door (also part of the Thapar estate), which will house additional art and cultural curation as well as dining and retail spaces.
TRI, 53/2/2, Hazra Rd, Ballygunge; Tuesday to Sunday, 11 am to 7 pm; 93300 78397; triartandculture.com; current exhibitions on display until April 15, 2024.