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So Many Busts
The Dilemmas of Being Turned Into Statue
Speakers
The once-ubiquitous but largely unremarkable statue of Gandhi has recently become a focal point for reflection, particularly in a global climate where statues of prominent figures are being defaced, removed, or re-evaluated as their once-revered narratives unravel. Despite his towering status as India’s founding father and the globally celebrated icon of non-violence and civil disobedience, Gandhi’s statues have also come under scrutiny. Within India, competing historical figures—most notably B. R. Ambedkar—challenge his symbolic dominance, as Ambedkar’s proliferating statues offer a powerful counterpoint to Gandhi’s legacy. Meanwhile, decolonial movements worldwide have revived past solidarities and forged new ones, intensifying the critique of his saintly image. Positioned between devotion and dissent, the Gandhi statue today encapsulates the complexities of identity and belonging in India—a layered and contested nation that this presentation aims to examine.
The talk will be followed by a Q&A session with the audience.
Tallur, L.N. Eraser Pro, 2011–2013. Bronze, 200 x 95 x 60 cm, Edition 1/3
Image courtesy of the artist.
Speakers
Sumathi Ramaswamy
Sumathi Ramaswamy is James B. Duke Distinguished Professor of History, Duke University. She has published on language politics, gender studies, spatial studies and the history of cartography, visual studies and the modern history of art, and more recently, digital humanities and the history of philanthropy. Her recent writings on Gandhi include Gandhi in the Gallery: The Art of Disobedience (New Delhi: Roli Books, 2022) and the digital project B is for Bapu – Gandhi in the Art of the Child in Modern India. She is currently working on a new project on educational philanthropy in British India.
