Works of India

Engaging the old rooms inhabited by Franciscan monks in Isola del Garda, Fabio Baldo and Tiago Atalaia created an archive as a source of inspiration derived from India.

“Works of India” is an archive of drawings, sketches, artefacts, models, tools and pictures collected and made by Fabio Baldo and Tiago Atalaia – both with a background in Studio Mumbai – during two and a half years of life and work. The collection arises as necessity to document the relation between human, natural and built landscape to portray a frame for a way of life in India.

“Works of India”, exhibition at Isola del Garda, 2016. Top: Wall and palm trees, Murud, India, 2014. Courtesy Fabio Baldo and Tiago Atalaia. Above: Foundry in Gatkopar, Mumbai, India, 2015

The selected material articulates in six environments which reflects upon the relation between man and nature, god and matter, a certain sacrality which is embedded during the act of creation and a sort of deep rooted understanding in the way of making and building.

“Works of India”, exhibition at Isola del Garda, 2016. Courtesy Fabio Baldo and Tiago Atalaia. House in Kottayam brass model, Mumbai, India, 2015

The exhibition engages the old rooms inhabited by Franciscan monks inserting a new rythm of life to rejoice the nature of the waterfront promenade that leads across an imaginary axe. On one side a mandir, a hindu temple, to worship the God Vishwakarma who is the supreme maker who generated the universe and the personification of the invisible creative power, and on the other side an archetype of a house, shaped by man, symbol of his relation with nature and what has been created.

“Works of India”, exhibition at Isola del Garda, 2016. Courtesy Fabio Baldo and Tiago Atalaia. Mock up set for apartment in Mumbai, Chondhi, India, 2015. Courtesy Fabio Baldo and Tiago Atalaia

The physical environment and human infrastructure in India reflect such primoridial dialogue and careful understanding of a place in its own specific conditions. The sequence of rooms expresses the theme through the aspects of landscape and its immediate human infrastructures, carpentry, a process of making, an installation, a serie of drawings in 1:1 scale and kath khuni, a traditional construction arised from the physical context of the Himalayas.

“Works of India”, exhibition at Isola del Garda, 2016. Courtesy Fabio Baldo and Tiago Atalaia. <i>Kath khuni Himalayan traditional construction</i>, Talpa, India, 2013
“Works of India”, exhibition at Isola del Garda, 2016. Courtesy Fabio Baldo and Tiago Atalaia. <i>Amavasya puja at Vishvkarma Furniture</i>, Chondhi, India, 2014
<i>Shrine</i>, boat and Island, Portese, Italy, 2016. Courtesy Giulio Tonincelli


until 2 October 2016
Works of India
Isola del Garda
San Felice del Benaco, Italy