Vertical Chronicle of a Turbulent Equilibrium

At first, this sculpture appears to be a basic ladder, one made from bamboo poles. But upon closer inspection, one will find small animals, birds and flowers resting on these poles. The work is an offshoot of a much larger work called “Circa” made in 2011. The artist grafted on to simple bamboo poles the decorative details he found at the Victoria Terminus Station in Mumbai. For exhibitions, “Circa” is completely flexible and the faux bamboo poles are bound together with simple twine, looking like any building scaffolding that is found throughout Asia. The artwork is a pun: if sculpture is something an artist makes, then why can’t it be made by laborers constructing a building? Will you recognize the ladder as a work of art before it bites you on the nose?