Vasudha Kapadia
The Wall
Synthetic Landscapes
‘I like life a lot’
Emotions: as shown by WhatsApp
Between rocks, silence and safety
4’’ x 10’’ x 28’’ (each segment is 4’’)
2022
The primary function of emojis is to fill in emotional cues otherwise missing from typed conversations.
‘In Emotions: as shown by WhatsApp, Vasudha Kapadia examines how these icons have gone on to mean a diversity
of things in different geographical, social and political contexts. The limited intention of these emoticons conjured to
serve specific, largely white contexts were countered by a plethora of applied and forced meanings, combinations and forms as they were used for everything from intimacy to protest. She offers her own use and readings of them, between these registers.’
Text by Mario Ashley D’souza for Kochi Muziris Biennale.
In the printed work I laboriously textualise the emojis present in the widely used emoji set by interpreting them in my own way. They surpass given meaning and symbolism to actually see and approach them from a purely visual lens. Attempting to address the issues I face while using them in everyday life because of their subjective and layered meanings.
Displayed as an accordion at Kochi Muziris biennale 2023
Display view at Kochi Muziris Biennale 2022-2023
Supported by Experimenter Generator Grant (2022)
Designed and conceptualised by Vama Gupta.