Watch | ‘The Body Politic’, and a tribute to Gauri Lankesh, by Pushpamala N

In ‘The Body Politic’, Pushpamala N., a sculptor-turned-photo, video, and light performance artist, displayed her satirical work at The Hindu Lit Fest 2024, which addresses the idea of the nation, particularly the woman’s place in the nation

The term body politic is a pun, she said, referring to both society as a political body as well as her own physical body, which she uses in her work. “The woman is often objectified in art. Performing and being the subject is to be both object and subject and it makes me central to the argument and narrative,” she explained.

In her work, which references archival material and popular culture, Ms. Pushpamala explores the ubiquitous symbol of Mother India. This image, which first originated in the 19th century during the nationalist movement, has gone through several iterations since.

Read about the full conversation here.