she talks through me | Bhisaji Gadekar

We are pleased to be presenting, ‘She talks through me,’ a durational performance by Bhisaji Gadekar, supported by the Emerging Artist Award 2020, unfolding at Vadehra Art Gallery in New Delhi from 21 July to 5 August 2023. 

Placing the body as conduit, intervenor and inhabitant among other multitudes, the work—an ongoing meditation on routine and prolongings—hopes to unravel the histories and performativities of gender in the context of folk theatre. Occupying the space of multiple characters and roles, the artist will develop embodiments that unravel, transform and tilt, allowing for an intimate fostering of dialogues and witnessings. The narrative woven throughout the performance will trace the journey and sociality of Jatra artists and practitioners, honoring and invoking their beliefs, travels and dedication to the art form in the present moment. Located at a critical yet questioning intersection of how gender, performance and labour enmesh with reinterpretation and public-ness, this body of work platforms the Bhisaji’s evolving reflections on being, identity and representation. 

His opening performance on 21 July marked the start of a two week-long performance-based exploration that will continue to unfold in the space. Setting the stage for one of many characters, Bhisaji crafted an environment of slow, careful transformation, driven by the endurance—of the performer as well as the audience—required to both witness and absorb such a transformation. As onlookers, audiences were invited to observe the various processes shaping the character, charting their own meanings through the same. We were also very grateful to be joined by musicians Udesh Pednekar and Namdev Kepkar who kept up a flowing tempo, adding to the ambience of the performance and its stage.

A Goa-based artist, Bhisaji Gadekar experiments with articulations on and around gender and its performativity, building an energetic, inventive vocabulary around performance and the body. With a background in sculpture and an art practice that maintains a strong footing in Goa, his work functions in collaboration with local artists and communities, extending commentaries on craftsmanship, artisanal livelihoods and cultural traditions. It positions itself at the intersection of durational play, participatory experience, and extensive research.

Stay tuned for more updates!