Bijam

Bijam unfolded in Lunehra, my ancestral village in Madhya Pradesh, drawing from childhood experiences within the Bhil community, India’s third-largest tribe. The project addresses multiple and interconnected objectives: documenting changing agricultural practices, critiquing corporate interference in seed sovereignty, and exploring the oppression faced by indigenous farmers. At the core is the use of soil as both a literal and conceptual medium—symbolizing ecological repair, heterogeneity, and agency in the Anthropocene.

The initiative began by collecting and analyzing soil samples, revealing nutrient deficiencies. Restorative measures included reintroducing tradition: vermicompost and cow dung manure. To challenge monoculture and market dependency, I proposed planting sunflowers—a hyperaccumulator that aids soil regeneration—alongside onions, triggering community dialogue on crop diversity and lost local knowledge. Seeds were then sown to form a visual composition, underscoring their value and the urgency for conservation.

The project navigated a tense land politics landscape marked by contestation between native Bhils and Brahmin landowners—a microcosm of broader questions about power, representation, and land rights. Operating as an outsider and a woman, I focused on establishing mutual trust and collaborative learning. Rather than imposing external artistic frameworks, farming itself became the medium for engagement, aligned with local resources and customs.

Ultimately, Bijam demonstrates the resilience and interconnectedness of soil, humans, and other life forms, asserting that meaningful change emerges from locally activated networks. By reclaiming traditional farming knowledge and promoting multi-crop agriculture, Bijam functions as site-specific ecological art rather than conventional “Land Art”—its strength lies in lasting relationships, shared agency, and ongoing learning between artist and community. This project reframes ecological stewardship as a multisensory, dialogical undertaking rooted in place and powered by collective action.