The Hashtag# Collective art show Kaalam reimagines the idea of time

Explore Kaalam, a thought-provoking art installation by the Hashtag# Collective, reimagining the passage of time at Gallery OED.

As one steps into the narrow passageway leading to Gallery OED in Mattancherry, one encounters graffiti with a distinct comic-book aesthetic, featuring wavy lines, bold colours, and interspersed forms. And then you see the artwork, Kaalam, by the Hashtag# Collective suspended in the air: acrylic letters of the Malayalam alphabet, a poem that speaks of the passage of time. One gets to sit with the idea of time, the impermanence and the quickness of its passage.  

Walking under the poem overhead, there is an unmistakable sense of walking through time, reinforced by the fact that it is under the elements — the sky above, the earth below and the air passing through it, making the words bob in the air. It acquires a certain tangibility when expressed this way.  

The members of the Hashtag# Collective: From left, Abin Chaudhari, Biju Kuriakose, Parvathi Nayar and Saira Biju   | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Rather simplistic and childlike, it is anything but. It has a meditative quality, making one contemplate the idea of time or rather the perception of time. The acrylic letters reflect light, which often filters through it. “Materiality plays a central role in shaping the experience,” the artists’ note says. Neon signage, mural and graffiti interventions by Apoorv Dutt, suspended acrylic Malayalam letterforms, painted surfaces, conceptual text, and a three-dimensional anamorphic rendering of the word Kaalam make up the art. “These elements are integrated directly into the architectural fabric of the courtyard, activating walls, thresholds, and sightlines while continuously altering perception through light, reflection, and distortion,” the note adds.

The Hashtag# Collective comprises artist/writer Parvathi Nayar, designer Abin Chaudhuri, artist Saira Biju and architect Biju Kuriakose. Parvathi’s poem, Kaalam: Time’s Ferocious Timeline, translated/adapted into Malayalam by Saira, lies at the heart of the work, which Parvathi says, “functions more as a conceptual framework rather than a narrative, informing the installation’s rhythm, sequencing, and spatial interruptions. Materiality plays a central role in shaping the experience.” 

A multi-disciplinary artist, Parvathi Nayar’s practice spans complex drawing processes, video, installations, text, and photography. Known for her signature black-and-white graphite drawings, Parvathi’s artistic exploration is through the lens of science, technology, and environmental consciousness.