Talks
A Language for Resistance
Labani Jangi and Soumyadeep Dasgupta
Join us for an artist talk by Labani Jangi, the recipient of the T.M. Krishna-PARI prize that honours individuals who bridge the worlds of art and journalism. Labani is a research scholar and cultural practitioner from Nadia in West Bengal who explores a layered tapestry of inquiry through her practice–observing the currents of resistance and identity formation beyond protected ignorance as they unfold in the world around her.
Drawing from her daily realities as a Muslim woman in India, Labani’s works are deeply rooted in lived experiences, reflecting the fractures and solidarities of a world where subaltern voices are systematically invisibilised or romanticised. Her practice draws inspiration from forms like the Jari Gaan–a centuries-old song tradition from the Bengal region based on the legends of Karbala. The thematic concerns of her work strive to fight cultural homogenisation and erase threats to pluralism by focusing on sites that expose us to historical and ongoing oppressions in relation to each other–acting as a vital bridge that exposes a lineage of survival and expression for minority communities in the region.
In this session, the artist will explore three series of works inspired by different sources: a poem by Palestinian poet Tawfiq Ziad, the poem Chambal Ek Nadi by poet and filmmaker Naresh Saxena, and the legend of Hijrat. Labani will be in conversation with Soumydeep Dasgupta from MAP’s Education team.
This talk will mostly be in Hindi with occasional switches to Bangla which will be translated by the interlocutor.
This event is part of VISIBLE/INVISIBLE:Representation of Women in Art through the MAP Collection exhibition programming.
Bookings
Labani Jangi
Labani Jangi is a research scholar and cultural practitioner from Nadia, West Bengal, India. She is currently pursuing her PhD at the Centre for Studies in Social Sciences, Calcutta, with a thesis titled Bengali Migrant Labour Life World.
As a member of the Panjeri Artists’ Union, JINN (an independent publication), and Khandera Art Space, Labani is deeply engaged in collaborative cultural and intellectual dialogues. Her contributions to notable exhibitions include Chak Britto, a four-day exhibition organized by Halisahar Sanskritik Sangstha; Erasures and Resistances, curated by Oindrilla Maity Surai (Biennale Foundation, Kolkata, January 2024); and Turning: On Field and Work, curated by Vidya Shivadas (Serendipity Arts Festival, Goa, December 2023).
Her work frequently addresses anti-colonial and anti-corporate themes, exemplified by the Panjeri Artists’ Union’s project The Country Has Been Looted.
