Assembly

The installation Assembly, comprises a single channel digital slide-show. When first installed the slide show was presented with arrangements (like lights, a shamiana, carpets and a profusion of plastic chairs) typical of a public gathering. The slide show features images of impermanent publicity arches erected ubiquitously all over Kerala to announce all kinds of public gatherings (political/religious rallies, dog shows, commercial fairs etc.), a practice that has gained popularity in recent years. These arches were photographed over a span of four to five months across the state.

The transition used between the images consists of a readymade full-screen twirl of the kind that is usually provided with most image-viewing software. This style of transition is immediately reminiscent of early video editing techniques, typically used for quick low budget advertisements as an attention-grabbing tactic and to create a sense of urgency. The chair and shamiana arrangement may be seen as an extension of the same gesture, used with the intention of stimulating responses/associations similar to those evoked by the transition style.