An exhibition at the CSMVS museum consists entirely of exhibits curated by school students, providing a glimpse into their interpretation of art
Vaidehi Savnal, who heads the education department at the CSMVS, shows the exhibits curated by interns, all aged 13 to 19 years old, at the POV: Drishtikon exhibition. Pics/Shadab Khan
Ever thought about the fact that the centre of a pot might be equally important as its sculpted exterior? One wouldn’t normally think so deeply—pun intended— about a utensil, even a historical one, but for 14-year-old Rafael Aneev, the “void” in the middle of the 19th-century decorative metal pot, on display at the Children’s Museum of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (CSMVS) in Fort, is central to its existence.
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The tapir from the natural history section of the museum was chosen by Chandra Jandhyala, 13, who was intrigued by the animal’s agility
The pot, along with a host of other curios, is part of the POV: Drishtikon (the Hindi word for perspective or viewpoint) exhibition at the museum, specially curated by students aged 13 to 19 years old. The exhibition, which started in August and will be on display till November, is a culmination of a summer internship programme hosted by the museum, where the interns were given the opportunity to play curator and select the exhibits from its collections.
Two young students curated a collection of 79 gilt silver and enamel spoons from 19th century Europe, each signifying a specific era or milestone
Many went beyond just selecting from available pieces, like 14-year-old Akshu Suthar, who made a replica of Pitamah Bheeshma lying on a bed of arrows during the Kurukshetra war, using a dummy model and a set of miniature arrows. “This painting speaks of pain from its core—the pain of being pierced by arrows for 58 days,” the curatorial note says about the exhibit that imitates an Indian Miniature painting at the museum.
Akshu Suthar, 14, recreated a painting of Pitamah Bheeshma’s 58 days spent on a bed of arrows during the Kurukshetra war, and also added her own personal touch: a bed of nails for visitors
“We wanted to create a platform for kids to understand the history that is normally only curated for adults,” says Vaidehi Savnal, the head of the education department. “Watching them work was a learning experience for us as well.”
WHAT: POV: Drishtikon
WHEN: Until November
WHERE: Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, Kala Ghoda
PRICE: Rs 150 for adults above 15
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