On the other hand, the installations of Rummana Hussain use everyday materials to portray less esoteric themes to her exhibition, Fragments/Multiples. Majority of her works have tried to incorporate natural substances and pigments such as indigo, terracotta, red earth.
The artist has used synthesis and antithesis to bring out her ideas in Sequence and Change that uses a bicycle with pedals moving with the aid of an electric motor suspended from the roof with ropes that is reflected in the mirror below. The piece works more as a happening that illustrates inertia in life.
Then there are two strings with indigo pigment and robin blue painted papers strung on them, which are crumpled to give the effect of a dhobi ghat with clean sheets. Resonance is a work that shows certain potential in the artist. On an acrylic sheet the artist has painted one shell with all the delicacy it demonstrates and an echoing outline of the same and mounted this on the wall. Under this on a mirror are four terracotta plates with sand, rock, and water in them.
What is interesting is that although all her works are titled in English, but for one which has geru earth pigment on paper that is in Sanskrit, Yoni. One wonders if this was done to protect the sensibilities of the viewer.
-Seema Bawa