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Item: There is No Explosive in This – Objects Confiscated at the Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport, Montreal

2011

Installation, 161 x 65 x 114 cm.
Materials: Mixed media

Collection: Courtesy Vadehra Art Gallery.

“In Gupta’s work, the subject of terrorism is approached such that it negates the stereotypical definition and description of our contemporary conflicts. Here, sensitive issues are not dealt with in a remote or distanced manner. Actually it is the artist, who instead of commenting on the crucial questions of terrorism, enters her own work and becomes part of it: as a girl soldier or the owner of a suitcase with the text declaring ‘There is No Explosives in This’ (2007), or a person distributing ‘Blame’ (2002-2004) bottles. The interactive nature of some of her works also suggests how the artist, instead of being a voyeur – and inviting the spectator to act as one – wishes to participate in the artwork, the art world, the world at large, and to be a potent player in changing the existing order and system of power relations.”

Mirza (Q.), “The Usual Suspect”, in Ed. Adajania (N.), Shilpa Gupta, Prestel Verlag, 2009, p.122.