Warning Line
2023 | Stoneware, archival drawings, tools, bird carcass in a vitrine
Deepak Kumar explores the zone between unbridled urbanization and native biodiversity. His archive, made manifest from regional histories and an empirical study of the physiology, behavior, and anatomy of local flora and fauna in urban-adjacent regions of Delhi NCR, situates itself against an impending crisis of ecological extinction under rapid urban expansion. These fossilized imprints delve into the interrelationships between progress, history, and the environment. Using geometrical lines and symbols identical to blueprints used in urban construction, he interrogates the idea of development, prompting an assessment of the hidden cost of our advancement.
Warning Line underscores how human progress has collapsed vital ecosystems and resulted in the extinction of numerous species. In cities like Delhi and Mumbai, where diminishing tree and mangrove covers remain a serious concern, the artist provides a sobering reflection of the toll of our coexistence or lack thereof.
DEEPAK KUMAR completed his BFA and MFA in Painting from College of Art, Delhi. Kumar's work focuses on the damaging impact of urban growth on the environment utilising various artistic mediums. His works have been exhibited in several shows across India including a recent solo at Exhibit320, Bikaner House, Mumbai Art Fair, Student Pune Biennale, Terrain.art, MASH India at IIC, and he has been the recipient of the National Award by Government of India, Emami Imaginarium Award, AlFACS Award, and the Prafulla State Award, Bihar, alongside an acquisition by the RBI, Delhi. He lives and works in Kaladham Society in Delhi NCR.
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