Laying a Cable

Nalini Malani had studied Indian caste system through the writings of French anthropologist Louis Dumont, which opened her eyes to societal problems. Identifying herself as an artist activist, themes of political and cultural conflict, displacement, human rights violation and suppression of women find constant voice in Malani’s art. The viewer can study Laying a Cable through these markers of inequality, where manual labourers are seen employed in grunt work, while being physically exposed—drawing comparison to dogs seated nearby, as the remainder of society turns a blind eye.