Hyderabad: Defining urban narratives in boxes

Rahul Mitra’s striking display greets visitors at State Gallery of Art

Hyderabad: Hyderabad is a city of diverse box-like homes – poor boxes, rich boxes, all kinds — it’s all one big box when viewed from the outside, says artist .

Upon entering the State Gallery of Art in Madhapur, one is greeted by a visually striking display of creatively arranged coloured cardboard boxes. Aptly titled ‘Box City’, this installation serves as a distinct representation of urban life.

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Having exhibited Box City installations worldwide for more than 10 years, the current showcase in the city, featuring 300 boxes obtained from Esamiya Bazar in Koti, marks the artist’s largest exhibition to date. The installation was set up at the gallery as a part of The NEWS Art Fest 2024, on view till March 7.

Box City is a collaborative art project that repurposes discarded boxes collected from the city streets. Local people, from different social backgrounds are invited to paint the boxes with hues of blue, yellow, red, grey, white, and black — mirroring the diversity within the society.

“I’m not being a poverty tourist. I come from a background of poverty myself, and I’m not bitter about it either. When people see the beauty of the art but also sense its underlying sadness, it prompts them to ask questions. That’s when meaningful dialogue about poverty and socio-economic disparities begin,” said the Hyderabad-born Huston-based artist.

Rahul also aims to introduce children from slums to the world of art. Reflecting on one of his first ‘Box City’ installations in Delhi’s Khirki village, he recalled initial confusion among the villagers when he introduced the concept. However, as Mitra began gathering and painting the boxes, the children eagerly joined in.

These installations, while not transient, are indeed subject to destruction, much like the force of nature. “Similar to our society, everything eventually meets its end,” he observed. “It’s a creation from trash that ultimately reverts to trash,” he remarked.

Besides his role as an artist, Rahul also has a background as a writer and scientist. He held the position of director at the non-coding RNA Cancer Center at MD Anderson Cancer Center in the USA, where he played a pivotal role in developing therapies for ovarian cancer, now undergoing clinical trials.

Additionally, he recently showcased his solo exhibition titled ‘Elephant in the Room’, where he sold 14 out of 20 paintings.