Sahej Rahal: Beyond the City of Time – An Exploration of Art, Mythology, and Technology

Sahej Rahal's exhibition 'Beyond the City of Time' explores the intersection of ancient Indian mythology, illusion, and modern technology. Visitors will encounter a space where 'weird' existences, speaking objects, and hybrids challenge traditional notions of reality and history.

The exhibition 'Beyond the City of Time' by Sahej Rahal presents a unique space where ancient mythologies, particularly from the Indian subcontinent, converge with contemporary technologies. It challenges the viewer to reconsider illusions not merely as deceptions but as fundamental aspects of reality, shaped by imagination. Rahal's work draws on a dream-mythology that has historically mapped social landscapes, centering on the cosmic body of Manu as a model for inhabiting the world. However, the exhibition proposes that illusions possess us, rather than the other way around, and prompts contemplation on what occurs when we actively engage with and create our own illusions. The conceptualized realms within Rahal's work are not dictated by divine architects but exist as intervening spaces resisting a singular narrative. His evolving biomes are characterized by complex forms such as swarming tentacles, insect-like particles, and touch-responsive mesh, all of which challenge the establishment of a grand historical arc. Instead, they evoke the ancient meaning of 'thing' as an assembly or council where ancestors would gather. The exhibition showcases a diverse range of media, including painting, drawing, audiovisual installations, and sculptures, featuring key works like 'The Book of Missing Pages,' the virtual landscapes of 'Anhad (The Unscalable)' and 'Atithi,' and the interactive multiplayer world 'Distributed Mind Test (DMT)'.

Entry to the exhibition is free.