Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre Launches Exhibition ‘RUN AS SLOW AS YOU CAN’

Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre opened its second visual arts exhibit ‘RUN AS SLOW AS YOU CAN’ by TOILETPAPER, which made its India debut at Art House, the Cultural Centre’s dedicated visual arts space.

The exhibition showcases the quirky and edgy universe of TOILETPAPER — an image-only magazine and creative studio founded by Italian artists Maurizio Cattelan and Pierpaolo Ferrari in 2010 — and is their largest global exhibit till date.

Curated by Mafalda Millies and Roya Sachs of TRIADIC, the first-of-its-kind exhibit signals a departure from linear formats of showcases – where art is no longer about one-sided interaction between the exhibit and the visitor, but a vivid exploration of imagination through a deeply immersive experience.

“As an institution dedicated to showcasing the best of India to the world and presenting the best of the world to India, we are thrilled to bring this fun and quirky show to our country for the very first time. The imagery-laden, surrealist and sensory universe of RUN AS SLOW AS YOU CAN is both young and playful and pushes the boundaries of art as we know it. While fresh and innovative in its conceptual, often ironic approach, at the heart of this exhibit is the celebration of a curious, exploratory energy that is quintessentially Indian. I am certain that TOILETPAPER’S largest show to date will strike a chord with the younger Indian audience and give them an all-new perspective of art that fuels imagination and creative energy.” - Isha Ambani

Guests included an eclectic mix of personalities from all over the world — from renowned artists and art critics to gallerists and young art enthusiasts. Together, they journeyed through the four floors of Art House, each occupied by a distinctly themed chapter where ambiguous stories are presented by combining highly artistic photography with a hyperreal and oversaturated visual approach. Interacting with a mixed bag of sensory stimuli such as bright shapes and silhouettes, interactive and auditory elements, and a series of shifting but interconnected narratives, the audience went back with their own unique interpretations of an overarching theme – how slowly one can run in an overdosed contemporary society full of visual stimulation.

Visually, the exhibit presented the guests with a carnival of colours, topsy-turvy perspectives and eccentric but suggestive installations such as a swimming pool filled with 10,000 bananas, a vintage car, a lounging crocodile, and walls plastered with the recurring imagery of spaghetti – elements that turned every corner into a social media-approved photo opportunity.

The exhibit’s larger-than-life essence extended to a kitschy, retro-themed afterparty featuring cocktails named by the artists themselves, a DJ playing a live vinyl set, and a sumptuous Italian spread. ‘RUN AS SLOW AS YOU CAN’ opens today and will remain on view till October 22 at the Art House – the Cultural Centre’s museum-like visual art space that is designed to house a shifting array of artworks and exhibits by the finest Indian and international artists. Free entry for children under 7, senior citizens and art students.