Through an installation of film and paintings, Indian artist Kulpreet Singh draws upon his life as a farmer, choreographing the ritual of stubble-burning – the practice of setting fire to straw remnants to prepare the fields for a new crop cycle.

In the film, performers move through burning fields dragging massive canvases behind them. The accompanying soundscape oscillates between a sense of urgency and a call to slow down, reflecting ecological emergency.

A five-panel abstract painting created with fire and stubble ash, accompanies the film.

Together, the installation carries the physical and metaphorical traces of the land, recording its exploitation and foregrounding the resilience of those who tend to it.

This exhibition is presented as part of the RC Foundation Project Exhibition Series, with support from the RC Foundation, Taiwan (R.O.C.). Co-presented with the Kochi-Muziris Biennale, Kulpreet Singh is a recipient of the Hayward Gallery/Kochi-Muziris Biennale (HG-KMB) Award, spotlighting emerging South Asian artists. Additional support is generously provided by the TNQ Foundation. With support from Galerie Mirchandani + Steinruecke, Rachel Verghis and Spare Rib Projects and further support from the British Council.