TITLE – BAGGA PAKSHI
SIZE – VARIABLE IN SIZE
MEDIUM – GOUACHE ON PAPER ,PENCIL,DIGITAL PRINT ON PAPER
YEAR – 2024
IMAGE CREDITS - HEBBER GALLERY AND ART CENTER , MANIPAL ,UDUPI , ANUSHA RAVISHANKAR – CURTOR AND ARTIST KETAKI SARPOTDAR
BAGGA PAKSHI
When I encountered the story of The Two Birds ( BAGGA PAKSHI TALE FROM TULU FOLK TALES BOOK THE RAINBOY WRITTEN BY B.SURENDRA RAO & K. CHINNAPPA GOWDA), I encountered a tragic misunderstanding between two pigeons, which cleverly employs the culinary phenomenon of mushrooms shrinking when cooked as a metaphor. It serves as a powerful reminder of how easily misunderstandings can escalate, turning innocent situations into deeply impactful moments. The narrative highlights themes of miscommunication and the often catastrophic results of false assumptions. Additionally, I aim to use the shrinking mushroom process in the visuals from the BAGGA PAKSHI tale to illustrate that while the human mind can solve complex problems, sometimes we struggle to grasp straightforward or obvious concepts in our surroundings. This tendency to complicate matters through our actions and decisions often leads us to overlook the simplicity of certain situations, affecting not only ourselves but also those around us.
In my work titled "BAGGA PAKSHI," I created a visual portrayal of the astronomer Camille Flammarion and the incidents surrounding the panic caused by Halley's Comet in 1910. Flammarion also gave his perspective about one of the substances found in the comet's tail as the toxic gas cyanogen (C2N2). He warned that cyanogen, related to cyanide, could "impregnate the atmosphere and possibly snuff out all life on the planet." Although his theory received little support within the scientific community, it was nonetheless published in The New York Times. This misinformation spread rapidly, leading to chaos as other newspapers picked up the story. The bold proclamations from scientists drove many people into fear and despair. For example, some farmers in Germany declined to plant crops that spring, reasoning that they would die before anything ripened and Snake-oil salesmen peddled “comet pills” as a supposed antidote to celestial toxins.
This historical incident illustrates how a single misunderstanding can complicate a situation. However, this issue is not confined to the past; there are also current events that are chaotic and arise from misunderstandings or misconceptions. I referenced these current events in the QR code included in the visual. Additionally, I highlighted how a lack of understanding can lead to horrifying outcomes in the real world.
THIS WORK WAS DONE DURING THE ONE MONTH FELLOWSHIP RESIDENCY AT HGAC-MAHE IN MANIPAL CENTER OF HUMANITIES, UDUPI , KARNATAKA .