Opening on January 9, the show by London-based Pop artist Ketna Patel spans social commentary, mythology, and diverse visual traditions.
Drawing on her experiences living and working within multiple cultures, British-Indian Pop artist Ketna Patel has created a boundary-pushing new exhibition for the Heath Robinson Museum in Pinner.
Running from January 9 to February 8, 2025, the show, titled REMIXOLOGY, unites East and West, old and new, the sacred and the everyday, making innovative use of video, print and photography.
The work is rich in cultural and mythological references, channelling everything from science fiction to Hindu and Christian iconography. It celebrates the sheer diversity of human creative expression while playfully critiquing the consumerist and Western narratives that dominate much of the world.
Having grown up in Kenya and spent many years living and working in South East Asia and India, Patel has a truly global vision. She now divides her time between London and Pune, India.
Her work often references accidental folk art such as hand-painted shop signs in Kenya, or truck art in India. These represent an unfettered form of artistic expression that contrasts with traditional Western visual culture – particularly the architectural and interior design field in which she originally trained and worked.
To some extent, her artistic practice began as a valve to release the pressure created by those strictures.
“When I studied interior design and architecture, I was never encouraged to use colour,” she says. “This was in the 80s when minimalism was in, and yet my own personal culture was full of colour and expression and storytelling. By nature, I’m a maximalist. I love the cacophony of many things happening at the same time, and I find my meaning in that.”
Her art seeks to rebalance an art world dominated by the more restrained Western visual conventions, and to tell stories that might otherwise go untold.
“A lot of non-Western stories fall to the wayside, because they’re not documented,” she says. “In my own way, I’m trying to put the spotlight onto African, Indian, and Asian stories and bring them to the surface.”
The democratising spirit of her work extends to placing it not only in picture frames, but also on furniture, umbrellas, utensils and other household objects – all of which feature in the show.
“Art belongs everywhere, so I’ve transmuted the compositions onto utilitarian objects that can bring art into your domestic space, your daily lives and rituals,” she says.
Her gleeful reinvention of domestic tropes and playful, satirical spirit are a good fit for the Heath Robinson Museum and the legacy of the artist/illustrator whose permanent collection is housed there.
“I’m sure Heath Robinson would have loved this exhibition,” says Heath Robinson Museum curator Chris Westbrook. “He would have appreciated Ketna’s keen eye for the absurdities of modern life, and her ability to make the ordinary extraordinary. We’re delighted to be hosting such a vibrant celebration of our shared humanity, accompanied by an exciting programme of events including artist talks, workshops, a comedy performance by Parle Patel and the chance for members of the local community to co-create a collage.”
REMIXOLOGY runs from January 9 to February 8 2025 at the Heath Robinson Museum, Pinner Memorial Park 50 West End Lane Pinner HA5 1AE.
The programme of events accompanying the exhibition includes:
Keep Calm and Curry On (With Laughter): A Cross-Cultural Comedy Affair – an evening of art, laughter, and cultural connections, presented by Bridge India in collaboration with The Heath Robinson Museum.
Saturday, 25th January 2025 | 5:30 PM – 8:30 PM | £25
Silk Saris, Street Food, and the British Dream – join Ram Gidoomal CBE and Prabhu Guptara for an enriching afternoon of conversation framed by Ketna Patel’s REMIXOLOGY Pop Art Exhibition, presented by Bridge India & The Heath Robinson Museum.
Saturday, 1st February 2025 | 3:00 – 5:00 PM | £10
