The collective, founded by Sarah Dutt in collaboration with Mandrika Rupa and Mandy Rupa Reid, aims to elevate the visibility and understanding of artists with Indian heritage in New Zealand, challenging stereotypes along the way. The exhibition will commence on August 31 at the New Zealand Portrait Gallery Te Pukenga Whakaata
Indian art’s diverse expressions are set to take center stage at the upcoming exhibition titled “Invisible Narratives: Contemporary Indian Creatives from Aotearoa,” organized by the Kshetra Collective in Wellington, New Zealand. The collective, founded by Sarah Dutt in collaboration with Mandrika Rupa and Mandy Rupa Reid, aims to elevate the visibility and understanding of artists with Indian heritage in New Zealand, challenging stereotypes along the way. The exhibition will commence on August 31 at the New Zealand Portrait Gallery Te Pukenga Whakaata.
Sarah Dutt, a painter, artist, and high school teacher at Alfriston College in Auckland, emphasizes the importance of representation, noting the lack of visibility for the New Zealand Indian community in the art scene. Through her work and collaborations with the Auckland Museum, Dutt recognized the need for a platform that showcases the creativity of Indian artists.
The collective comprises seven talented creators, including filmmaker Mandrika Rupa, playwright and actor Jacob Rajan, spatial artist Rafiq Patel, painter Shruthi Yatri, and social practice artist Tiffany Singh. Singh, known for her socially engaged art, had been a highly sought-after addition to the collective, which she happily joined to contribute her unique perspective.
Tiffany Singh shares Rajan’s belief in the importance of visibility for Indian culture and art. Despite a substantial population of Indian New Zealanders, Indian culture is often relegated to the status of a “minority culture.”
The Kshetra Collective had its debut exhibition, “A Place to Stand,” at Auckland’s War Memorial Museum in 2022. Jacob Rajan, co-founder of the Indian Ink theatre company and a prominent figure in the New Zealand theatre scene, is optimistic about the collective’s future as a platform for Indian artists to establish themselves and create opportunities for the diasporic communities.
In the upcoming Invisible Narratives exhibition, Rajan’s play “Krishnan’s Dairy” will play a significant role in shedding light on the experiences of Indian dairy owners and the larger Indian community. The exhibition aims to offer viewers a glimpse into the multifaceted emotions and experiences of Indian New Zealanders, celebrating their culture while also addressing issues of marginalization and racism.
Tiffany Singh shares Rajan’s belief in the importance of visibility for Indian culture and art. Despite a substantial population of Indian New Zealanders, Indian culture is often relegated to the status of a “minority culture.” Singh highlights the lack of Indian-descent curators and gallery executives, hindering the progress of Indian artists and preventing their work from being showcased regularly. She hopes that exhibitions like Invisible Narratives will inspire curators and gallery directors to create dedicated spaces for contemporary Indian art, moving beyond token cultural festivals to provide continuous visibility and recognition for Indian artists.
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