Exhibitions

Vaanyerum Vizhuthugal: Roots that Reach for the Sky

Is identity something fixed, or an ever-evolving narrative woven together by the many threads of our experiences?

Initially exhibited as part of the Chennai Photo Biennale 2024-2025, for MAP this is the first ever group exhibition dedicated to contemporary photography and lens-based practices. Vaanyerum Vizhuthugal (translating to “Roots that Reach for the Sky”), curated by Jaisingh Nageswaran, brings together the works of twelve lens-based artists of Tamil origin who push the boundaries of photography and visual story telling.

Going against the type casting of a people from the same state and shared heritage, the exhibition explores the diversity of postcolonial Tamil identity and the multifaceted layers of an evolving and politically charged landscape. Through stories that range from the multiplicity and nuances of cultural intersections within Tamil Nadu, to an intimate tale of loss, kinship, and queer desire, as well as stories that include virtual interactions acting as lifelines that connect across cities, images acting as therapy for childhood traumas, and places as holders of memories and nostalgia, these twelve artists explore a gamut of emotions and narratives through their evocative work.

Vaanyerum Vizhuthugal offers a space to reflect upon the true nature of diversity in a world that often forces us into binaries. The exhibition gives the visitor an opportunity to rediscover the roots that allow them to soar into their own skies and collectively reimagine our past, present and future.

Featured Artists: Aishwarya Arumbakkam (Chennai), Alina Tiphagne (Madurai), Arun Karthick (Coimbatore), Brinda Anantharaman (Chennai), Krithika Sriram (Bengaluru), Osheen Siva (Goa), Priyadarshini Ravichandran (Chennai), Sathish Kumar (Chennai), Shankar Narayanan (Chennai), Sridhar Balasubramaniyam (Coimbatore), Steevez (Chennai), Vivek Mariappan (Chennai)

This exhibition is a project by Goethe-Institut Chennai and Chennai Photo Biennale.

Image credit: Sridhar Balasubramaniyam

Jaisingh Nageswaran

Curator

Jaisingh Nageswaran is a self-taught lens-based artist and curator from Vadipatti, Madurai. His practice is deeply rooted in acknowledging the land and language he comes from. Through the documentation of his own family history, he not only represents, but also engages in conversation about broader social implications of identity and family. Jaisingh’s curatorial journey began with ‘The Lodge’, at the KG+ Select at the Kyotographie Festival, a public art festival in Japan. He further co-curated two editions of Vaanam Art Festival in Chennai and has also participated in the Khoj Curatorial Intensive South Asia Fellowship. He was awarded the Musée du Quai Branly Jacques Chirac Photography Award in France.

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