Vipin Dhanurdharan’s Petrichor – a Contemplation on Depleting Water Bodies

KOCHI:
As people from across the globe observed World Water Day on Thursday through campaigns to create awareness on the conservation of water, Kochi Biennale Foundation (KBF), in association with Lulu Mall, Kochi joined in the efforts through ‘Petrichor’, a 36- minute loop video that explores the deteriorating water bodies in and around the areas of Fort Kochi and Mattancherry.
Petrichor, a pop up gallery (an art gallery organised for a short period of time) at the mall by artist Vipin Dhanurdharan, brought into sharp focus the significance of conservation of water resources and the deteriorating state of canals and water bodies in and around Fort Kochi that sustained the city’s thriving trade and commerce not long ago.
‘Petrichor’ (a pleasant smell that accompanies the first drops of rain), encapsulates the experiences of the inhabitants of these areas as they recall how clean and pure the canal waters once used to be. Dhanurdharan made the video as a part of his art project. He collected waters from various water bodies in Fort Kochi and Mattancherry to create awareness on how contaminated and polluted the water sources have now become. He could even find faecal matters in the waters he collected.
Manju Sarah Rajan, CEO of Kochi Biennale Foundation, inaugurated the event, which was attended by artists K R Sunil and Upendranath, along with Shibu Philip, the Business Head of Lulu Mall Kochi, and Sudheesh, General Manager of Lulu Mall Hyper Market.
“Not everything can be changed in a day. But I am trying to use my art to seek attention of the public towards environmental issues like water pollution, create necessary awareness and also suggest solutions,” said the self-taught artist who works with different media such as drawing, video, installation and performance.
“Petrichor is an attempt to revive their lost glory,” noted Dhanurdharan, who is the founding member of Kalakakshi, an artist collective. Petrichor will continue at Lulu Mall till April 8.