From piety to playfulness, this group exhibition uses visual imagery to explore Parsi identity

Hearts on Fire–Reflections on Parsi Identity: Past, Present and Future at Chemould Colaba showcases the works of 13 artists

Capturing–and redefining–the vibrant visual culture of the Parsi community in Mumbai is an exhibition comprising the works of 13 artists that threw open Chemould’s new gallery at Colaba. Curated by Sarica Robyn Balsari, Hearts on Fire–Reflections on Parsi Identity: Past, Present and Future carefully examines the tropes of memory and identity, and offers appreciation and understanding to an audience that may not necessarily come with context but can certainly walk away with it.

Memory and identity

“For the past year, I have been exploring how identity within the Parsi community in Mumbai is mediated through visual imagery, particularly through photographs. My research became an avenue to probe the complexity of Parsi visual identity, and I found an exhibition at Chemould Colaba to be the perfect fit to display the work of artists in this space. The show is also a celebration of identity in its contradictions and permutations,” says Balsari, who is also an anthropologist. She got together a mix of artists–and not all of them are Parsis–who use multimedia formats for their imagery.

Perusing through the works, one gets a glimpse–albeit an intimate one–into the lives of those belonging to a community. The twinkle in the eye of an older gentleman, the fervour on the faces of a group of young chaps singing, a woman’s dress hanging from the bedpost, the turquoise walls of a crumbling cinema hall and even a few candid photographs of actor Jim Sarbh–the artists in this exhibition try to convey images from various aspects of their subjects’ lives. “While the works on display are varied and portray different facets of Parsi identity, they all offer a glimpse into the lived worlds of members of the community, and additionally navigate lines between the interior and exterior as well as between the insider and outsider. From photographs taken inside the baugs in Mumbai to those of the agiary, the images provide a window into a world often hidden from view,” explains Balsari.

Sifting through time

Photographer Sunhil Sippy tells the story of “a simple man who had dedicated his life to both his wife and his work in the docks”. “It’s a story of steadfast love and a life lived with genuine grace,” he says. Divya Cowasji, meanwhile, delves into the complexities of memory as a continuation of her work Remember Me, which is an ongoing project documenting her family’s history through the material objects that people leave behind and family lore passed on through generations. Porus Vimadalal’s selection of images based on Udvada was shot in collaboration with fashion designer Ashdeen Lilaowala, with Delraaz Bunshah modelling vintage outfits sourced from various places and styled by the photographer’s husband, Prayag Menon.

A major theme of this exhibition centres around the concept of ‘play’ and the way in which photographs act as a space for transformation, humour and subversion. Building on the tradition of the Parsi natak, a younger generation of Parsis is using visual imagery to reappraise culture, also editing and curating the facets of identity they consider relevant in a contemporary context,” says Balsari.

The exhibition, therefore, also expounds on the diversity of a culture that has been lived and passed on over generations, with each one interpreting it in their own way. “My hope is that viewers come away from this exhibition with a sense of the sheer multiplicity of Parsi identity through the playful juxtaposition of traditional portraits with contemporary photographs, as well as the contrast between images rooted in the past and emerging ones from social media,” signs off the curator.

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