“Annu Palakunnathu Matthew [(CRF 2021)] discovered the story of the 2.5 million Indians who fought in World War II (WWII) while researching the Partition of British India.
For Matthew, her artwork asks if these soldiers’ personal contributions can be acknowledged – that sense of injustice drives much of her art. ‘Few wanted to recognize the efforts of these Indian soldiers, but on the other hand, what would have happened if they hadn’t fought?’ Matthew asks.
[Matthew’s] research led to a commission from the Kochi-Muziris Biennale, the largest art exhibition in Asia. The installation and other works with the same theme were recently on display in Rhode Island’s Newport Art Museum.
‘We are at a moment where memorials and histories are being re-evaluated and reconsidered in significant ways,’ she says. ‘Art can play a crucial role in shaping remembrance. By pulling back the veil on forgotten histories, my objective is to leverage visual media to elevate this narrative and integrate it into our shared historical and cultural legacy.’”
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