Anita Dube’s House of Politics, Pleasure, and Philosophy

Vadehra Art Gallery unveiled an evocative solo exhibition by Anita Dube, titled Three Storey House, running till 19 April 2025 at its D-53 Defence Colony space in New Delhi. The exhibition, spanning all three floors of the gallery, presents Anita’s latest explorations in sculpture, mixed media, and kinetic installations.

Anita Dube, a Delhi-based artist known for her conceptual approach, integrates text, poetry, and symbolism to navigate the intersection of identity, power, and cultural discourse.

With Three Storey House, she constructs a layered narrative, transforming the gallery space into a metaphorical home where political and personal realities unfold across different levels.

Anita Dube’s artistic philosophy is deeply rooted in biopolitics—the interplay between power, identity, and personal history. Through assemblage techniques and unconventional materials, she invites viewers to experience art as a confrontation with social realities.

In Three Storey House, Dube envisions the architectural structure of a house as a conceptual pathway—an upward movement from foundational introspection to a sublime celebration of love. The exhibition moves across levels, shifting from the monochrome chaos of political discontent to a crescendo of vibrant sensuality and abstraction. This spatial progression mirrors her response to the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, where isolation deepened interiority, and the desire for pleasure emerged as a counterforce to loss and despair.

She describes this journey as an ascent “from black-and-white towards a pure sensuality of color; from the cacophony of dirty politics to the heraldic grandeur of flags and banners, and onto a pared-down simplicity of materiality and abstraction.” Her works reflect a dialogue between the individual and the collective, exploring themes of eroticism, mythology, and cultural memory.

The Three Levels of the Exhibition

Each floor of the gallery functions as a distinct chapter in this unfolding narrative:

• Ground Floor: The base of the structure presents a raw, dystopian landscape inspired by Animal Farm and Dadaist absurdity. Here, carnivorous leopards and snake-charmers coexist with foot soldiers and alienated individuals fixated on personal ambition. The imagery is steeped in irony, depicting a culture consumed by power struggles and unbridled aspiration, with a “supreme leader” towering over the scene.
• Second Floor: Moving upwards, the exhibition shifts to philosophical truisms and wisdom sayings—echoing introspection and resistance. The works on this level explore Eros as a counterpoint to Thanatos, emphasising the need for desire, beauty, and communal experience as vital antidotes to nihilism.
• Third Floor: The pinnacle of the exhibition unfolds as a celebration of love in its most transcendent forms. A departure from political and existential weight, this space is marked by abstraction, colour, and material simplicity. Here, the artist distills artistic expression to its essence, inviting viewers into a contemplative state.

Anita’s signature approach—rooted in assemblage—employs diverse materials, from found objects and votive eyes to velvet fabrics and painted surfaces. Her practice engages in the sensuality of color, using it as both a pleasure principle and a form of subversion.

Through kinetic installations, text-based works, and sculptural interventions, she manipulates familiar motifs to provoke new interpretations. By juxtaposing historical and mythological references with contemporary social critique, her works transcend time, offering a layered reading of personal and collective histories.

Anita Dube’s Artistic Legacy

Born in 1958 in Lucknow, Anita Dube’s artistic journey has been shaped by her academic background in history (Delhi University) and art criticism (Maharaja Sayajirao University, Baroda). She has played a pivotal role in India’s contemporary art landscape, notably as the curator of the 2018 Kochi-Muziris Biennale.

Her works have been exhibited at prestigious institutions, including the Barbican Centre, London (2024), in The Imaginary Institution of India, curated by Shanay Jhaveri. Past solo exhibitions include Vadehra Art Gallery, New Delhi (2023); Nature Morte, New Delhi (2014); and Galerie Dominique Fiat, Paris (2011). She has also participated in major biennales, such as the Moscow Biennale (2009) and Biennale Jogja XI, Indonesia (2011). She was also the curator of the Kochi Muzris Biennale in its 2018 edition.

Through Three Storey House, Anita Dube invites viewers into an introspective and sensory journey—one that confronts political absurdities, embraces personal desire, and ultimately ascends towards a space of love and abstraction. This exhibition is not just an artistic showcase but a philosophical statement, affirming art’s ability to navigate between resistance, reflection, and renewal.