When trucks tell stories: Haunting cargoes map shifting landscape

Kochi: The evolution of Indian society in the post-liberalisation era is a complex narrative — one that artist Sovan Kumar explores with bold strokes, vivid metaphors and quiet introspection in his latest exhibition, Haunting Cargoes.

Now on view at Durbar Hall Art Gallery, the show presents a collection of works by the 56-year-old Odisha-based artist, accompanied by poems by MD Muthukumaraswamy. Central to the exhibition is the recurring image of the truck, symbolising both literal and metaphorical journeys of a nation in transition.

"I conceived the series in the early 2000s, when trucks seemed to flood Indian highways," says Kumar.

The paintings resist easy interpretation, inviting slow engagement. Interestingly, Kumar subtly inserts his own figure in many works—often tucked into corners—as a quiet observer of history.

Standout works like Farmland to Parliament depict farmers' struggles, paired with Muthukumaraswamy's poignant poetry: "…What is the weight of this truck? What is the weight of your labour? The distance is not measured in miles/ But in days spent bent over fields..."

Other pieces, such as War and Peace (Galwan Valley), contrast conflict and calm, with soldiers and monks sharing a truck's opposing ends. An untitled painting critiques the growing menace of e-waste, capturing the digital age's haunting legacy. Each piece offers surreal juxtapositions and layered symbolism.

The exhibition, which will run until Sunday, is a visual diary chronicling India's socio-political shifts, struggles and endurance