I Went, I Saw, I Liked

More than most other contemporary artists, Anish Kapoor has a reputation that very decidedly precedes him. He been feted and celebrated so widely, and so well, that it is difficult to approach his shows as a first-time viewer with anything resembling objectivity. One perceives his work through the lens of all that has already been declared and exclaimed upon – and it is possible that there is little of consequence left to say. Which is why I wended my way to Mehboob Studios not to analyze, but to experience Anish Kapoor’s particular brand of art.

The viewing is very much a bodily experience – an experiment in juggling so many different ways of seeing and perceiving that the combined effect is likely to leave one reeling, quite literally. It is possible to walk towards the glittering surfaces of ‘Untitled, 2010’ and ‘Untitled, 2008’ as well as the multiple ‘Non-Objects’ and feel one’s sense of space and proximity flounder. There is a point at which one feels inclined to almost ‘tip over’ into the illusory spaces they create.* These are not so much sculptures as they are cleverly designed rabbit-holes that test our notions of up and down, big and small, motion and stillness. And lest one get too drawn into the polish and gleam of metal, two large waxworks anchor the exhibition space with their looming solidity. ‘Shooting into the Corner’ is the more spectacular of the two, consisting of a cannon-like device that shoots wax pellets onto a white wall. The echo of the shot reverberates loudly, deliberately unsettling viewers and introducing an aural element into the show.

I saw the exhibition as part of a guided tour, and while the guide left much to be desired, I was impressed by the degree to which audiences were moved – either intellectually or physically – by what Kapoor had created. Men and women of different ages walked back and forth between the pieces, examining their own widths and heights from all angles, pulling funny faces. People spoke articulately about how the works affected them, interested them, excited them. One person noted the contradiction between the fluidity of the metal, and the heaviness of the wax. Another spoke about reflections and new perceptions. Someone else got so nauseous that he had to leave the room. All of this happened in spite of the fact that the venue – run down and devoid of personality – was ill chosen, and the placement of some of the works seemingly arbitrary.

It has been a while since a show in Bombay has done something to its audience. I suspect that while some of us enjoy thinking about art, many more of us enjoy responding to it. I recommend this show - because it is Anish Kapoor, because it is his first time exhibiting in India, because Bandra is conveniently located, because the works are distinctive, but mostly because they have to be encountered, rather than seen.

*Which is probably why there are so many anxious docents posted on ‘guard duty.’