Hekh hosted Radial Minds: Charting Pentapodal Thinking by Oorja, on 10th January, 2025 at the Mayur Vihar Studio, New Delhi.
Radial Minds: Charting Pentapodal Thinking explores cosmic origins and human narratives, weaving science and storytelling into a seamless tapestry. The performance reimagines astrobiology not merely as the study of life’s possibilities but as a narrative tool—transforming scientific inquiry into a medium for speculation. How can we think beyond Earthly confines, inviting speculation about extraterrestrial life and new paradigms for organizing identity, meaning, and existence? It interrogates the “alien” not as something entirely other but as both material and concept, reshaping how we perceive life across time and space.
The exercise becomes one of blending disciplines—analyzing how speculative science, telescopic gazes, and creative storytelling intersect to challenge hierarchical structures. This convergence serves as a method to inspire radical pathways, exploring how art can reflect the interconnected realities of stars, origins, and the human self. By adopting a radial perspective, it redefines the role of curatorial practice itself, positioning it as a space where imagination and inquiry transform into an experiential narrative.
Oorja is a curator based in New Delhi and New York. With a background in Art History and Design, her curatorial practice focuses on interdisciplinary research, visual storytelling, and public engagement. Her work examines the intersections of popular culture, technology, science, with ongoing projects on Game Theory and Astrobiology.
She is currently pursuing an MA in Curatorial Practice at the School of Visual Arts, New York and holds an MA in Art History and Aesthetics from MS University of Baroda. Over the years, she has worked with galleries, museums, artist studios and alternate art spaces including Museo Jumex, Mexico City (2024), Raqs Media Collective (2022-2023), and Anant Art Gallery, New Delhi (2020-2022). She is also a CISA alumni, a curatorial fellowship organized by Khoj International Artists’ Association and Goethe-Institut (2021).