Qatar Museums Authority unveils "Ghandi s Three Monkeys" at Katara

Doha, May 27 (QNA) - Three new sculptures by Indian artist Subodh Gupta have bee installed recently at Katara, the Cultural Village. "Gandhi s Three Monkeys", 2008, made from bronze, steel, and old utensils refer to India s famous hero of peace, Mahatma Ghandi, portrayed as three heads in military headgear. Using worn brass domestic utensils, the forms of a soldier s helmet, a terrorist s hood and a gas mask reinforce Gupta s dialectics of war and peace, public and private, global and local, themes that run throughout his work. The gears worn by the three men in the sculptures represent the historical meaning of Ghandi s three monkeys, "See no evil, Hear no evil, Speak no evil." Commenting on the installation of the sculptures, Mansoor Al Khater, QMA Chief Executive Officer, said: "We are very proud to have installed Subbodh Gupta s Three Monkeys in Katara. Subodh is a world renowned artist and this strong statement of peace couldn t be installed in a better location. It also illustrated QMA s continued collaboration with Katara. We are gratefully for their shared enthusiasm for the arts." Born in 1964 in Khagaul in the northern province of Bihar, India, Gupta completed a painting degree in Patna city before moving to New Delhi. Throughout his work, he uses objects related to Indian life including domestic Kitchenware and means of transport such as bicycles and scooters. His experience of the stark contrasts between rural and urban experiences and cultural dislocations are themes that permeate his artistic practice. Other artworks by Gupta explore India s increasingly globalised vision of travel and the economic migrations of its workforce. The Cultural Village, Katara, situated on the eastern coast of Doha, is an integrated cultural landmark which possesses the character of a historic and inspirational breeding ground for arts and culture in Qatar. The village is built on 1,000,000 square meters. Its interconnecting pathways and creatively placed buildings constructed to resemble Al Fareej, an ancient Qatari alley. Attractions offered by Katara The Cultural Village include an open amphitheatre, an opera house, a cinema which can double as a drama theatre, a multi-purpose hall, handicrafts souq, book stall, and beach, in addition to a rich variety of international cuisine. Several locally based NGOs, including Algannas Society, Childhood Cultural Center, Qatar Fine Arts Society, Qatar Photographic Society, Qatar Society for Engineers, and Visual Art Center, currently operate in Katara. By hosting entertaining and informative festivals, exhibitions, forums, and other cultural events, Katara accentuates Doha s globally recognized position as the capital of Arab culture.