Monument
Monument
1996, The Substation, Singapore
Responding to the theme “The Urban Condition: Anxieties and Analgesics”, Monument aimed to offer a contemplative counterpoint to the sensory overload and spiritual dullness of city life.
The installation transformed the gallery into four curtained enclosures, each a quiet, sacred-like chamber filled with turmeric-dyed fabric, soft lighting, and turmeric powder circles on the floor. Hanging and standing triangular mirrors reflected fragmented images of the viewer—deliberately broken and incomplete, encouraging introspection rather than vanity. These symbolic elements: geometry, colour, scent, reflection, were carefully chosen to evoke stillness, reflection, and spiritual reconnection.
Kumari described Monument as a “counter-monument,” challenging the towering, impersonal structures of urban spaces that often disregard the human spirit. It invited visitors to step away from the chaos of the city and into a moment of self-awareness and silence. Rooted in her Hindu background and a long interest in ritual and symbolism, Monument created a space for inward attention, where meaning unfolded not through spectacle, but through presence. In doing so, it became both a critique and a healing gesture within the modern urban condition.