Astatic Machine

The Origins of Mumbai Gallery was transformed into an interactive environment housing Soi’s Astatic Machine. Designed to communicate the artist’s studio methodology to a larger audience, these drawing machines are inspired by Paul Klee’s Pedagogical Sketchbook. Images from Lockwood Kipling’s Journal, which is housed in the Museum, are interspersed with imagery from Klee’s manual and Soi’s archive. Printed upon acetate sheets and placed upon the OHPs that sit atop the carts they are projected upon a partially painted black chalkboard wall. Viewers were encouraged to place the acetates upon the projectors and trace them out with chalk, layering the images to make their own compositions.

The work was featured as part of the exhibition 'Notes on Labour' by Praneet Soi. The exhibition was curated by Tasneem Zakaria Mehta and showcased Soi's works created over periods of extensive engagement with artisans in Kolkata, Srinagar, and Guangzhou in China.