Pulp Society is very excited to present Osheen Siva’s Delhi debut exhibition பாத்திரம் Vessel, an IAF Parallel, at the gallery. 

 

Exploring concepts of Dalit Futures/Dalitfuturism, inspired by Afrofuturism, Siva delves into science fiction, technology, sociology, mythology, and lived and imagined futures; imagining alternative ‘futurities’, challenging at the same time the status quo of the future placed as an horizon by capitalism. Under a traditional linear representation of time, a present is open to many – if not infinite – futures. The word ‘futurity’ offers a wider meaning. If we think of it as ‘the quality or the state of being future’, we could state that the present belongs to a futurity: even if it is not future, it has the quality of being future. 

 

Embrace diversity

Unite—

or be divided,

robbed,

ruled,

killed

By those who see you as prey.

Embrace diversity

Or be destroyed.

—From "Earthseed: The Books of the Living," Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler

 

 

In particular, I’ve been deeply inspired by one of the pioneers of Afrofuturism movement and an eminent black sci-fi literary writer Octavia E. Butler. Butler explained her view of humanity as inherently flawed by an innate tendency towards hierarchical thinking which leads to intolerance, violence and, if not checked, the ultimate destruction of our species. One of the ways in which she tackled this hierarchy is to introduce characters that are hybrid, mixed and mutated which leads the way to diversity and inevitable imbalance of power. Butler's stories also feature mixed communities founded by African protagonists and populated by diverse, if similar-minded individuals. 

 

In this series, I explore hybrid and mutated characters by creating a mythology of my own that is inspired by various ancient mythologies and folktales while being rooted in my Dalit and Tamil heritage. The hybrid characters are a way to highlight queer and feminine power as well. For instance the rooster and human hybrid is inspired by Bahuchara Matha in Indian mythology that the trans community worships, the snake and human hybrid is inspired by the Arabic mythical character called Shamran that have been used in Turkey and Middle East as a symbol for LGBTQ rights, the tiger and woman hybrid is a symbol of feminine strength - OS

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