Breaking Ships: Opportunities, Survival – Himanshu Jamod at Kochi Biennale

This exhibition is a striking exploration of ship dismantling and survival, presented by artist Himanshu Jamod at the sixth edition of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale.

Artistic Concept
- At first glance, Jamod’s large canvases resemble dark-colored buildings, but closer inspection reveals ships split in half.
- Inspired by his childhood in Bhavnagar, Gujarat, where his family worked in the ship-breaking industry at Alang (the “graveyard of ships”), Jamod transforms industrial dismantling into poetic visual narratives.
- His works highlight how a ship cut in half resembles a multi-story housing complex, symbolizing both destruction and renewal.

Themes Explored
- Survival & Livelihood: Ship dismantling provides shelter and income to thousands of families across India.
- Circular Recycling: Materials from dismantled ships are reused, producing affordable steel and reducing waste.
- Human Stories: Workers from across India migrate to Alang, underscoring resilience and necessity.
- Hope & Solidarity: His series Retrieve and Seedbed (developed since 2016) reimagine wrecked ships as temporary housing complexes, metaphors for refuge and collective strength.

Visual Style
- Intense colors: Yellow, sea green, red, and blue dominate his canvases.
- Large scale: Reflects the monumental sights of shipyards.
- Industrial inspiration: Shapes and textures echo dismantled vessels, yet convey warmth and humanity.

Impact
Jamod’s work challenges viewers to see beyond environmental headlines about ship-breaking, instead focusing on the human dimension of survival, recycling, and resilience. His art becomes a beacon of hope, inviting reflection on how communities transform hardship into opportunity.