KMB-2025: Artist Cop Shiva’s Photographic Series Harps on Gandhian Ideals in Contemporary India

KOCHI:
Artist Cop Shiva’s photographic series, Being Gandhi (2012), which explores the enduring legacy of Mahatma Gandhi, is on display at the KM Building, Calvathy Road, Fort Kochi, bringing renewed attention to the continuing resonance of Gandhian ideals in contemporary India.

The photographic series is part of the exhibition Like Gold, curated by Murtaza Vali for the Rizq Art Initiative.

Shiva’s Being Gandhi (2012), a digital inkjet print, focuses on the remarkable life of Bagadehalli Basavaraj, a former private school teacher from Kadur in Karnataka who has dedicated himself to embodying Mahatma Gandhi and spreading Gandhian values across India.

An ex-policeman, he traces the origin of this project back to 2011, when he first saw Basavaraj during a cultural festival in Bengaluru. On duty at the time, Shiva noticed a man performing as Gandhi but was unable to interact with him.

Determined to find him, Shiva searched through newspaper clippings, contacted journalists, and eventually traced Basavaraj after weeks of effort. What began as curiosity soon evolved into a 16-year-long documentation, resulting in a significant body of work.

Basavaraj, who performs as Gandhi during national festivals, travels at his own expense to villages and cities, addressing children and communities about peace, simplicity, and moral responsibility. Believing that Gandhian values are gradually fading, he seeks to reintroduce them, particularly among younger generations. His appearance—often with silver-painted skin—reimagines Gandhi as a living, breathing presence in contemporary India.

Curator Murtaza Vali notes, “Part of the artist’s enduring interest in masquerade and performance, ‘Being Gandhi’ is a character study of Basavaraj, who has long expressed his commitment to Gandhian philosophy through a profound act of role play.”

The series documents his meticulous metamorphosis, which extends beyond donning Gandhi’s signature chappals, round glasses, dhoti, and walking stick to ritualistically covering his body in metallic paint, transforming him into a living, life-size statue.

“This re-enactment simultaneously resurrects Gandhi as a historical figure and elevates him to the realm of myth—Gandhi as both man and Mahatma,” he points out.

The artwork has received appreciation from scholars and historians internationally, highlighting its relevance in re-examining Gandhi’s continuing presence in public imagination.

Through this work, Shiva hopes that more people—especially students—will reflect on Gandhian principles and consider their relevance in building a more peaceful society.

Reflecting on his participation in the Kochi-Muziris Biennale, Shiva describes it as a meaningful opportunity to present his work at one of the world’s most significant contemporary art platforms.

“The experience has allowed me to engage with diverse artistic practices and global audiences, he notes.