Framed photograph Untitled no 1

These antique plates are made out of porcelain and they are from India. The Indian artist Subodh Kerkar put them in the Indian Sea for a while. In these pictures you can see what happens when you allow nature to take its course.

In the Dutch Golden Age the Dutch shipping company VOC was set up to trade with Asia. They brought luxury products to the Netherlands and the rest of Europe and were immensely profitable doing so. Pepper, nutmeg, tea and porcelain were just some of these products. Subodh plays with the story of trade and its history. Plates that were shipped to Portugal are brought back to India. The shells and algae growing on them make it seem like they are connecting themselves to their country of origin. As if they are saying, we belong to India.

Subodh is a painter, sculptor and installation artist who was born in Goa, India. He still lives and works there. Subodh even founded a private art gallery there. It is called Museum of Goa.