In Cell No. 5 of The Alipore Museum, Sheela Gowda’s exhibition unfolds as a quiet, layered critique that draws its power from the charged history of the space itself. Once a colonial prison, now a museum, the jail holds the memory of those who fought for an inclusive and independent India. Passing through galleries dedicated to freedom fighters and martyrs, viewers enter the cell where Gowda’s works are installed. Here, the dialogue shifts from the valour of the past to the disquiet of the present, raising unspoken yet urgent questions about the state of freedom and its meaning today. The jail amplifies these tensions, framing Gowda’s installations with its own history of confinement and resistance. Once a site of struggle against colonial oppression, the cell becomes a mirror, reflecting on contemporary power dynamics. What was freedom won for? The question lingers in the air, silent yet inescapable, challenging viewers to grapple with its weight as they navigate the space.
