Shilpa Gupta: Sun At Night – Barbican, London

A review of Shilpa Gupta: Sun at Night in the Barbican’s Curve gallery. An intriguing exhibition, but one which is a little swamped by the scale and architecture of the Curve space.

Freedom Of Expression As Art

Shilpa Gupta is an artist who lives and works in Mumbai. Her work is multidisciplinary, spanning – in this exhibition alone – works on paper, sculpture, sound installations and text. The Barbican have commissioned this exhibition of Gupta’s work, Sun at Night, which is currently in the Barbican Curve space. The focus is freedom of expression: Gupta draws on examples of freedoms lost, in order to highlight its fragility.

The format of the exhibition is one which builds in intensity. Most of the space contains diminutive works – line drawings paired with type-written quotes for instance. Or small-format sculptures which highlight absences, intangibilities. The culmination is in the final space. For, In Your Tongue, I Cannot Fit (2017–18) is an immersive soundscape. 100 microphones speak singly or in unison, reciting the words of individuals persecuted or incarcerated for their beliefs or writings. Under them, 100 spikes skewer their words, standing in for the violence inherent in this silencing.

It is a timely reminder for all of us that freedom is a fragile thing. Around the world, committing thoughts to writing can still be a dangerous act. Even in democracies, our progress is easily eroded. By drawing on the writings of individuals across cultures and across centuries, Gupta makes a clear statement about the power of the written word to survive and inspire, despite all obstacles.

Exhibition Vs. Exhibition Space

I was a little surprised that Shilpa Gupta: Sun at Night was commissioned by the Barbican for this space. The reason I was surprised was that I didn’t feel the space did the content justice. The other exhibitions I have seen here in the last twelve months have been quite immersive (see this one and this one). By contrast, Shilpa Gupta’s work is smaller and requires more time to take in. The Barbican overall has a strong Brutalist architectural style, and the Curve gallery is no exception. For me, this meant the exhibition felt a little overwhelmed by the space itself. Until, that is, you arrive in the last space where For, In Your Tongue, I Cannot Fit is on view. Then it really comes into its own.

So if you come to see this (and I definitely think it is worth a trip or combining with an event at the Barbican), just be prepared. Take your time, really look at the works, and give yourself space to contemplate them. The message is important, and timely, and effectively delivered across the range of Gupta’s works.

Salterton Arts Review’s rating: 3/5

Shilpa Gupta: Sun at Night on until 6 February 2022