THE NEW YORK TIMES
By XXX
 |
| Vivek Vilasini’s “Vernacular Chants II.” |
In October 1939, about a decade before he was assassinated, Mohandas K. Gandhi issued a warning to his admirers. “These are days of dissension and discord, I should feel deeply humiliated if my name became in any way an occasion for accentuating them. Avoidance of such opportunities is a real service to the country and to me.”
Yet of the many things that India’s independence leader achieved, curbing the proliferation of his likeness wasn’t one of them. Two new shows at
Aicon Contemporary in the East Village not only coincide with Gandhi’s 150th birthday this month, but also provide insights into how Indian artists are trying to poke fun at his ubiquity and reflect upon the country of his birth. [
More]
 |
| “Toy Gandhi 4 (Superhero),” a 2019 sculpture by Debanjan Roy, in his exhibition “Inappropriated: The Toy Gandhi.” |
 |
| An installation view of “Inappropriated: The Toy Gandhi,” a solo exhibition featuring the works of Debanjan Roy. |
