The Museum of Found Objects: Toronto (Maharaja and—)

2011

In collaboration with Mirjam Linschooten
Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto. Installation and book.
Curated by: Haema Sivanesan

The Museum of Found Objects: Toronto (Maharaja and–) was completed upon invitation from the Art Gallery of Ontario. Responding to an exhibition in a neighbouring room entitled Maharaja: The Splendour of India’s Royal Courts, our goal was to cleverly update the colonial exhibition with contemporary, everyday objects from South Asian communities across Toronto. The result was an installation and bookwork of hundreds of objects which drew lines between itself and the neighbouring exhibition. On the last day of the show, visitors were invited to “Loot the Museum” freeing the objects and releasing them back into the city.

A photograph of a makeup palette in the shape of a peacock being measured by a ruler.
Object photo 86 (makeup)
A photograph of a retro looking telephone being measured by a ruler.
Object photo 34 (telephone)
A collection of various plinths with plexiglass display cases on top containing a variety of everyday objects.
Exhibition view at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO), Toronto, Canada, 2011.
Hands wearing white archiving gloves holding the publication in front of a black background.
Publication cover
A publication spread containing photographs of a collection of beauty tools and a collection of paper plates and paper cups being measured by a ruler.
Publication interior showing Grooming Set (No. 56) and Paper Dinner Service (No. 57)
A publication spread containing photographs of a bingo cage set and alcohol bottles being measured by a ruler.
Publication interior showing Bingo Cage Set (No. 37) and Alcohol Collection (No. 38)
A publication spread containing photographs of a metal skewer and a duster being measured by a ruler.
Publication interior showing Metal Skewer (No. 60) and Duster (No. 61)
A person in a gallery with various objects in the background posing for the camera in mid motion as they put an object into their tote bag.
Loot the Museum event at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO), Toronto, Canada, 2011.