The artwork titled 'Preserve the Pride,' by Bandana Jain, derives its inspiration from the doorway of a Buddhist shrine at Ajanta cave, a designated UNESCO heritage site and the pride of Maharashtra.
Ajanta cave 19 is a magnificent Chaitya having a remarkably detailed facade; elaborated with pilasters, depicting scenes from Buddha's life, Jataka tales, Bodhisattva, entourages, and decorative patterns. The Cardboard Cave depicts the rather distressed look of the same where the details of the facade have gone, the sculptures have cleft and the cave itself is in a fragile state.The artwork is made in 16 parts adjoined in interlocked format. Around 10,000 cardboard cut-outs have been put together to make this giant artwork. It consists of 22 statues which depict different phases of Buddha's life.
Conservation of heritage buildings is very important because they provide a sense of identity and continuity in a fast changing world for future generations. Heritage buildings represent the history and culture of a nation. They make us aware, where we came from. We must preserve them to preserve our pride and let them inspire us to achieve back our power and position.
The Cardboard Cave draws our attention to the necessity of conserving our heritage buildings.
Project Info
Name: Preserve the Pride
Dimension: 10x10x3 feet
Medium: Recycled Corrugated Cardboard
Artist: Bandana Jain
Installation: At T2 International Airport (Departure), Mumbai
About Bandana Jain:
Bandana Jain is a well noted contemporary artist, an inventor and a passionate traveller. She prefers working with recycled and eco-friendly materials such as corrugated cardboard, as she shares a deep concern for the environment and believes that India needs to be more sensitive about issues like global warming. For Bandana, her creation is not just a piece of art, but an enabler that makes the world a better place to live in.