Dream Houses (Variation I)

Dream Houses' was an experimental early video work made by Malani. Juxtaposed with the Museum's collection of early 20th century dioramas showcasing affordable urban housing plans for Mumbai, the work is a colour fantasy of a utopian urban landscape. It reflects the post-independence socialist vision of the artists, architects & intelligentsia of the 1960s to build a new modern India.

'Dream Houses' was a result of Malani's growing interest in architecture and association with architect Charles Correa, whose vision defined the landscape of Mumbai & Navi Mumbai. In 1969, Malani started Vision Extensive Workshop (VIEW) and worked on this video every day for over two months. The video was made using a combination of a still and a film camera. The video was rediscovered only a few years ago and digitalised.

The work was featured as part of the exhibition 'The Witness' by Nalini Malani. The exhibition was curated by Tasneem Zakaria Mehta and Johan Pijnappel. In this exhibition, Nalini Malani explored concepts and concerns that have preoccupied her for decades - notions of oppression and dominance, of freedom and justice.