Date: Saturday, 11 May 2024
Time: 5pm – 7:30pm
Venue: Ishara Art Foundation and the Common Room, Alserkal Avenue
Organised by: Ishara Art Foundation, hosted by the Common Room, Alserkal Arts Foundation
Registration: Please write to marziah@ishara.org

Ishara Art Foundation presents Artist Talks by Gauri Gill, Shefalee Jain and Mariam Suhail with their first public presentations in the UAE. Moderated by media and culture theorist Rashmi Devi Sawhney and curator Sabih Ahmed, the talks delve into the complexities of the artists’ respective practices, exploring the concepts and contexts that shape their work.

Recipient of the Prix Pictet 2023, Delhi-based artist Gauri Gill’s practice contains several lines of pursuit that address human displacement, migrant experiences and the marginalisation of communities in India and elsewhere. In the talk, she offers a rare insight into how she uses the language of contemporary photography and artistic collaboration to navigate through urban and rural contexts with empathy, surprise and a human concern over issues of survival. The discussion is moderated by Rashmi Devi Sawhney.

Delhi-based artist, illustrator and educator Shefalee Jain and Bangalore-based artist Mariam Suhail reflect on their distinct relationships with the cityscape, and how their art making is informed by the intersection of social and environmental dimensions of a city along with urban planning. Their talks focus particularly on their drawings, with reference to their respective backgrounds in illustration and design. The talks are moderated by Sabih Ahmed.

The Artist Talks programme is a companion to the exhibition Sheher, Prakriti, Devi curated by Gauri Gill. The programme will be conducted in English. Pre-registration is mandatory due to limited seats.

With special thanks to Alserkal Arts Foundation for their support.

Programme Schedule
5:00pm – 5:20pm, Ishara Art Foundation
Exhibition tour led by Gauri Gill at Ishara Art Foundation

5:30pm – 6:30pm, Common Room, Warehouse 51
Artist talk and Q&A by Gauri Gill, moderated by Rashmi Devi Sawhney

6:30pm – 7:30pm, Common Room, Warehouse 51
Artist talks and Q&A by Shefalee Jain and Mariam Suhail, moderated by Sabih Ahmed

Speaker Biography
Gauri Gill
Rashmi Devi Sawhney
Shefalee Jain
Mariam Suhail