‘Sab Dekhenge’, specially put together for the duration of the meeting, brought together an audio-visual representation of the ongoing, nationwide protests led by students and women against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, passed by the Lok Sabha on 11 December 2019, and related official initiatives.
‘Sab Dekhenge’ combined digital and physical images that recalled some of the sights, smells and sounds of resistance to undemocratic tendencies across the nation, with some flashes even from across the globe, over the last couple of months. The exhibition team attempted to capture snapshots that conveyed the scale, diversity, creativity and emotions of the spontaneous agitations. Public expressions of dissent against the CAA, the possibility of the extension of the contentious National Register of Citizens (NRC, already implemented in Assam) to the rest of the country, and the introduction of new features in the National Population Register (NPR) took the form of hand-made placards, banners and posters, dynamic installations, artwork, poetry, songs, slogans, skits and much more. They cut across time, location and language, but also retained local flavours and earthy accents.
The process of collecting, collating and sifting through approximately 500 images, poems and videos was an interesting and deeply moving experience. Only a fraction of the treasure trove made it into the exhibition due to practical constraints. Given the wide dissemination of these images via multiple platforms, it was difficult to source the original artists whose creativity inspired a new wave of resistance. The selection of posters, collages, slides and songs on display during the exhibition was meant to convey some of the intensity and diversity of the protests.