Dessins et photogrammes de films et impressions au jet d’encre archivistique, 2026
The twenty-two yards between the chalk lines on the ground. A line defining the frontier for a nation, and another defining the territory of its competitor. Between the two, a no-man’s-land. From within their boundaries, they attack and counter-attack, in an attempt to nullify the effort of the other. What might sound like a battlefield is a cricket pitch. Or is it?
Paras Vijan’s work begins as a reflection on contemporary society and its formation, and evolves through historical research to excavate the conflicts shaping our perspectives and counter-perspectives. His research starts from his own personal history, shaped by social, cultural, bureaucratic, and political systems, then extends outward. Working across photography, sculpture, drawing, and installation, he focuses on postcolonial South Asia, with particular attention to the Hinduization and saffronization of India. In his work, he examines orchestrated historical events and their lasting legacies, explores conflicts produced by shifts in time, technology, and political ideology, and offers a critique of the present political order. Vijan, through his work, aims to cultivate a healthy distrust toward images and messages that circulate freely and are consumed without resistance.
Vijan holds an MFA from Concordia University and has shown works in solo and group exhibitions at Gallery 44 and Pumice Raft (Toronto), Galerie Eli Kerr, Centre CLARK, and Leonard and Bina Ellen Art Gallery (Montréal).