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உயர்வு Uyirvu

Osheen Siva

Presented in Season 1 2024

From Friday 1 March 

Window Commission 
Presented by Arts House 

Curated as part of ಒಡಲಾಳ Odalala by Vishal Kumaraswamy

Arts House exterior 
North Melbourne Town Hall 
521 Queensberry St, 
North Melbourne 

Visual Rating 100%
Wheelchair Accessible

உயர்வு Uyirvu (‘growth and rise’) illustrates histories of resistance and futures filled with regenerative joy.

In this window commission, Siva delves into the themes of hybridity, fluidity, affirmations and rest. Through the lens of speculative fiction, the imagery of lizards and Millet grass evoke concepts of regrowth and the cycles of nature.

Central to the work are the Tamil texts, notably அமைதி Amaithy which evokes a sense of serenity, tranquillity and harmony.

The typography மாவீரர் Maaveerar, accompanying the tiger, symbolises strength and warrior spirit, while ஒற்றுமை Ottrumai, accompanying the three headed snake, translates to togetherness.

உயர்வு Uyirvu offers space to imagine joy as a multi-dimensional experience and gestures towards themes of unity, resilience and empowerment.

 

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Artist statement

Siva's artistic narratives weave threads of speculation and counter mythologies, often expressed in their mother tongue, Tamil. This artistic realm serves as a conduit for envisioning worlds that transcend prevailing oppressive structures and reigning cultural, social, and political dominances. Their work employs mutation and hybridity as instruments of rebellion against the rigid hierarchy of assigned societal roles and the purportedly established narratives of history and destiny.
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About the artist

Osheen Siva (they/them), a native of Vellore, Tamil Nadu, currently operates from Goa, India. Fusing elements of speculative and science fiction with their grounding in Dalit and Tamil heritage, Siva embarks on a journey of historical reimagining, envisioning a future that emanates from an anti-caste, anti-fascist, and intersectional feminist vantage point. Coined by Siva, the term "Dalit Tamil Futures" represents a paradigm guided by influences from Afrofuturism and South Asian Futurism both of which engage in the redefinition, reinterpretation, and reclamation of the histories of marginalised and radical communities. This endeavour seeks to construct an empowering future within the framework of postcolonial discourse.

From Friday 1 March 

Window Commission 
Presented by Arts House 

Curated as part of ಒಡಲಾಳ Odalala by Vishal Kumaraswamy

Arts House exterior 
North Melbourne Town Hall 
521 Queensberry St, 
North Melbourne 

Visual Rating 100%
Wheelchair Accessible

Images in gallery: Matthew Stanton