Decoding masculinity

M3: Man, Male, Masculine exhibition at DakshinaChitra
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

The intersections of masculinity, toxic masculinity, patriarchy and generational trauma fall upon society like an untold sentence. But how does one grapple with these ideas? What are the overlaps born from these intersections? DakshinaChitra’s latest exhibition provides an artistic inroad into understanding these complexities.  

Presented by Goethe Institut/Max Mueller Bhavan, M3: Man, Male, Masculine opens with a quote by the American-Vietnamese refugee turned-writer Ocean Vuong from his novel On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous (2019). It says: “Let no one mistake us for the fruit of Violence”. Curator Vidisha Fadescha explains Vuong’s perspective, “We are war refugees, but we don’t necessarily have to be identified as just that even if we are growing up in a patriarchal society. There are other experiences that have made me a humble and caring person.”

The exhibition is a collection of expressions by artists Renuka Rajiv, Tsohil Bhatia, Anurag Minus Verma, Javed Sultan, Sandip Kuriakose and Ashfika Rahman.

Vidisha explains, “The curatorial text ends with a quote by Bell Hooks which says that the men we should remember are those who stand up against violence. Masculinity can be something that is not toxic. There is toxic masculinity but men don’t necessarily have to be those people, they can also stand up against it.”  

Tsohil Bhatia’s My Home (A Celebration of Five Days) is an installation by the artist (depicted through pictures) where he builds a house from scratch over a period of time. The house is left incomplete, leaving it open for interpretation. A small plant with bright yellow flowers leaning towards the light, adds tenderness to the artist. Vidisha adds, “Tsohil says that patriarchy is about the assertion of normative cultures as a way to suppress others. When states propose you to be patriotic you are adopting that form of masculinity and are not taking anyone else forward with you .“ 

Tsohil Bhatia’s My Home (a celebration of five days)
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Anurag Minus Verma’s Dalit Masculinities is a collation of clips largely from Tamil popular culture. Starting from Rajnikanth’s films, Suriya in Jai Bhim, Arya in Sarpatta Parambarai and Rajpal Yadav’s comic portrayal in Bollywood films depict the many ways in which the pre-conceived image of masculinity enters the subconscious minds of the masses.  

Anurag Minus Verma’s Dalit Masculinities
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Javed Sultan’s Kinship Photographs is a collation of pictures from several protests where men look on in rebellious fervour. Thereby focussing on the performance aspect of masculinity in the presence of other women. The work also emphasises that in a toxic masculine society, a man can still stand up against violence.  

Javed Sultan’s Kinship Photographs
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

The exhibition is a celebration of all kinds of masculinities that don’t necessarily fit the textbook definition of the word. Each work is a celebration of the irreverence towards socially constructed gender roles and givens: one that subtracts power from patriarchal institutions of oppression.  

The exhibition is on at DakshinaChitra till December 17 at Kadambari Gallery.