Asrafun Nahar Ruhin

A Site Responsive Performative Installation 2025

A Site Responsive Performative Installation 2025

In my recent work for 0Y0–9, I created a spatial fragment drawn from my memories of the mangrove forests. The installation explored the rising salinity in coastal and lowland environments, where dryness and salt slowly harden the ground. By focusing on the aerial roots of mangroves—acting as buffers that absorb and negotiate this growing salt stress i built a dry, crunchy, saline landscape that is not tied to one specific place. Instead, it gestures toward a universal condition: the increasing extremity of salinity and the fragile ways ecosystems adapt.

A performative installation: a ritual for countering the presence of white phosphorus used during genocide that tales the story and history of soil abuse, shows the process of re-assembling and regenerating soil.

A performative installation: a ritual for countering the presence of white phosphorus used during genocide that tales the story and history of soil abuse, shows the process of re-assembling and regenerating soil.

Khona, a legendary folk figure of ancient Bengal, is famous for her ‘bachan’ or sayings on climate, agriculture, and other environmental state, which survive in Bangladesh and other parts of this region. Khona or Leelavati, who lived sometime between the 9th and the 11th centuries and was famous as an astrologer and medieval scholar of knowledge related to agriculture. Hailed as a Princess and a court astrologer, Khona’s life was cut short ( cut her tongue)due to her conflict with the representatives of patriarchy of the ruling class that believed that Khona actually had challenged their leadership with her knowledge and personality. She left behind many proverbs known as “Khona-r Bachan,” or the proverbs of Khona. Through performance i opened up a metaphorical conversation between Khona and me… খনাকে আমি প্রশ্ন করেছি নানান সুরে, নানান শব্দে , নানান বেশে, নানান গল্পে, নানান ভাষায়। সে কোন প্রশ্নের উত্তর দেয় নি, সে কোন কিছুই বলেনি, সে বলতে রাজী হয় নি।। Khona refused to talk with me… i asked in several languages, she wasn’t ready to answer…. That day,…… I asked Khona, Khona! May i know you? Were you a girl? Or a concept? How did you know everything? …………. …………. ………….. …………. Perhaps, Khona smiled her voice was dissolving. Her words were fading away. Khona was numb, she smiled, and whispered to me “You will not listen from me, you will not listen from me, you will not listen from me anymore...” KHONA is dissolving……..

In this work, I focus on the reality of the situation of women in a male dominating society. Although a strong position of women has been created in our society but truth behind the curtain is completely different. We can’t ignore the issues like rape, domestic violence above all Gender domination. During this pandemic those social problems have increased even more. Here I tried to create an impression which represents very sensitive n hidden sufferings of an women. In this lockdown, I tried to portray situations around me such as changing of nature, society, human behavior over all my own situations. It was very hard time to arrange my thinking in a single canvas. Lack of materials gave me another dimension to create my art work. I tried available natural color at home such as aalta, flower stain, turmeric, coffee, used paper etc. I have also drawn my own portrait to keep documentation of what I am going through.