Debjani Banerjee's exhibition at Bluecoat, Liverpool, presents a charming sculpture of a Henry hoover as Ganesha, the elephant-headed Hindu deity, capturing the double consciousness of growing up with multiple cultural inheritances. The work reflects an imagination shaped by 1980s British suburbia and ancient Bengali literary traditions, according to the artist.
Henry-Ganesha and the Double Consciousness
The sculpture, titled Henry-Ganesha, sits on a strip of garishly patterned carpet, symbolizing the blend of domestic British life and mythological Indian heritage. Banerjee's father insisted she watch all 94 episodes of a BBC television adaptation of the Mahabharata, which influenced her perception of the vacuum cleaner as resembling Ganesha. The piece questions how cultures are preserved and adapted across generations.
Film Collage and Diverse Influences
A film in the exhibition's "music room" collages scenes from two TV adaptations of the Mahabharata, a photograph of the artist's mother wearing a saree and holding a Pepsi can on a British hillside, and clips from a CBeebies cartoon featuring a wheel of cheese named Cheese, which Banerjee watched with her daughter. The film addresses Ganesha, the artist's mother, and her daughter, collapsing ancient and modern, fantastical and banal elements.
Twin Shrines to Putana and Cheese
The exhibition includes twin shrines to the demoness Putana, who haunted Banerjee's childhood dreams, and Cheese, a formative character from CBeebies. These juxtapositions re-enchant everyday life, bringing Indian gods into a British world of anthropomorphic vacuum cleaners and carpets, emphasizing culture as a communal experience.
Patchwork Quilt and Community Art
A patchwork quilt along the longest wall depicts five female characters from the Mahabharata, embroidered with sequins, silk, and feathers. Created during a workshop with local residents in Glasgow, the quilt represents collective labour and communal creative expression, reminding viewers that traditions are kept alive through retelling and shared creation.
Music Room and Tagore's Influence
Two songs play on a loop in the music room: one composed by Bengali poet Rabindranath Tagore, the other invoking the mother goddess Kali. Both are sung by the artist's sister, Mita Pujara. The exhibition takes its title from Satyajit Ray's film Jalsaghar (The Music Room), which features a dancer performing for a landowner whose patronage enabled Bengali art. In the film's climax, the landowner recognizes the end of his era, but his servant notes the sun continues to rise, symbolizing cultural continuity.
Debjani Banerjee: Jalsaghar is at Bluecoat, Liverpool from 11 July to 6 September.
