'OPEN SECRET': A UNIQUE PERFORMANCE ON 'AADHAR' PROJECT AT VR PUNJAB

Mohali, November 9, 2017: An interactive performance will be staged by artistes Manjot Kaur & Harmanpal Singh as part of the ongoing Punjab Art Initiative (PAI) event at VR Punjab Mall, previously known as The North Country Mall. The performance 'Open Secret' will be held from November 11-12 at the Mall.

The performance is significant in the present milieu of mass surveillance by the government using the Aadhar - or The Unique Identifier(UID) project. The same will investigate into the issues of privacy, identity and the tools of mass surveillance, using The UID project.

"This work is enactment of a situation, where a citizen can have access to basic rights only with the use of Aadhar number. Impacted from this situation, we are creating a drawing by the sole use of aadhar numbers and finger prints of the citizens of our country, as a means to record the visitors who visited the venue on the said dates." Said performance Artistes Manjot Kaur and Harmanpal Singh.

It is noteworthy that the performance will be a reconstruction of a land art installation that Manjot did at the ‘Land Art Biennale’ in Switzerland in August, 2017 about the notion of Identity, Privacy and Myth in the age of the Internet.

"I feel that Open Secret will give voice to issues and concerns that touch us all on daily basis. Also, this project can reach a diverse audience, and will challenge people’s and state’s notions of identity and privacy." Sums up Manjot.

'Open Secret' is to be performed at VR Punjab, Mohali from 12 Noon -8 PM on November 11 & 12.