“Scorched Earth, Unbroken Flights”: Shailja Kedia & Devpriya Singh Explore Coal Mine Lives

KOCHI:
The Students’ Biennale at St Andrew’s Parish Hall presents a collaborative project, “Scorched Earth, Unbroken Flights”, featuring the works of Shailja Kedia and Devpriya Singh.

The Secular Art Collective comprising of artists Bhushan Bhombale, Salik Ansari, Shamim Khan, and Shamooda Amrelia, emphasized the profound connection between the artists’ regional backgrounds and their creative outputs. The Collective are responsible for students’ art projects in the states of Maharashtra, Bihar, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh.

“The works of Shailja Kedia from Jharkhand and Devpriya from Bihar emerge directly from the environments they inhabit,” they said. “Shailja’s engagement with the exploitative conditions of mining in Jharkhand bears witness to the deep-rooted entanglement of ecology and capitalism of land, livelihood, and loss. Devpriya, through her intricate compositions, addresses the aspirational gap faced by young women in Bihar; with her mystical, winged figures, she envisions gestures of empowerment, resistance, and endless flight. Rooted in personal histories yet resonant beyond them, their practices extend the language of secular art into shared social realities.”

Shailja’s charcoal painting portray the grim existence of miners in Jharkhand, while the donkeys in the artwork symbolise both people and animals as silent workers, carrying heavy burdens and enduring shared suffering caused by exploitation and environmental damage.

Alongside, Devpriya Singh presents a body of work shaped by everyday realities and long-standing social observations. Inspired by her upbringing in Bihar, the work reflects on women’s lives defined by permission, restriction, and conditional freedom.

This series of three fabric prints captures the persistent conflict between a woman’s domestic duties and her professional ambitions. Using earthy tones and raw textiles, the artwork highlights how female aspirations are often sidelined or deferred across different stages of life.

The imagery contrasts a winged male figure, representing traditional societal expectations. The body of work was completed over a month, involving both conceptual thinking and handwork. “I do not face any difficulties in my work because I do it with all my heart,” Devpriya says.

“In the place where I come from, girls need permission even to step outside the house. You cannot cross the threshold without explaining where you are going and when you will return,” she says. “I realised that the life I was living was the right of many others,” she says. “After a long struggle, women finally get permission to work, but then responsibilities are tied around their feet. You can fly, but only within limits”.

“Girls whose dreams are not fulfilled in their father’s house live with the hope that someone will understand them,” Devpriya notes. “When that hope does not work out, they lean on their children. In this way, many women spend their entire lives waiting” said Devpriya.

The presentation has received an engaged response from viewers, many of whom found personal connections within the narratives. “Whenever I spoke to people about my work, I received an overwhelmingly positive response. People were able to connect so much. Many felt this story might be their own,” she adds.

For Devpriya, participating in the Students’ Biennale has been a meaningful learning experience. “Kochi is very beneficial for me,” she says. “It has allowed me to see how things are happening globally, meet new people, and gain exposure and opportunities. Kochi has taught me a lot of things that I needed as an artist.”