Installation view at India Art Fair 2019|BV Box| Balkrishna Doshi| Lida Shihoko| STIR — Installation view at India Art Fair 2019 Image: Gallery White

Art 03 mins. read

Dayanita Singh's BV Box celebrates the genius of Pritzker Prize laureate, BV Doshi

STIR celebrates the ninety-second birthday of BV Doshi with an exclusive review of the BV Box exhibit by Dayanita Singh.

by Rahul KumarPublished on : Aug 27, 2019

On the occasion of the ninety-second birthday of Pritzker Prize awardee Balkrishna Doshi, STIR brings an exclusive preview of the BV Box. Fourth in the series of ‘Spontaneous Books’, artist Dayanita Singh aims to question the notion of a ‘book’. Can a mass-produced artist book be considered a contemporary art work? Can a book be both a book and an exhibition? Can a book, shown on a wall, also become catalogue of its very exhibition?

BV Box Exhibit at Gallery White Baroda| BV Box| Balkrishna Doshi| Lida Shihoko| STIR — BV Box Exhibit at Gallery White Baroda Image Credit: Gallery White

‘Spontaneous Books’ are built as books and book-objects by Singh as and when she has the opportunity to gather the material, and to present and disseminate it. An unbound book, usually with thirty image cards, held together in a wooden box, so far, the repertoire has a Kochi Box, Box of Shedding, Pothi Box, and the newest, BV Box.

The box, a wooden structure, can be hung on wall or placed on a table. Images can be changed as often as one chooses to; however, they are meant to be separated from the each other or the box | BV Box| Balkrishna Doshi| Lida Shihoko| STIR — The box, a wooden structure, can be hung on wall or placed on a table. Images can be changed as often as one chooses to; however, they are meant to be separated from the each other or the box. Image Credit: Gallery White

Singh uses photography to present poetic and narrative possibilities. Layered with her interest in archive, she is interested in exploring alternate forms of viewing her art.

Dayanita Singh with Doshi at the opening of BV Box Exhibit| BV Box| Balkrishna Doshi| Lida Shihoko| STIR — Dayanita Singh with Doshi at the opening of BV Box Exhibit Image Credit: Gallery White

Doshi with GM Sheikh| BV Box| Balkrishna Doshi| Lida Shihoko| STIR — Doshi with GM Sheikh Image Credit: Gallery White

Doshi with Jyoti Bhatt| BV Box| Balkrishna Doshi| Lida Shihoko| STIR — Doshi with Jyoti Bhatt Image Credit: Gallery White

Doshi signing catalogues at the BV Box Exhibit at Gallery White Baroda| BV Box| Balkrishna Doshi| Lida Shihoko| STIR — Doshi signing catalogues at the BV Box Exhibit at Gallery White Baroda Image Credit: Gallery White

BV Box was launched at Gallery White, Baroda (Vadodara) with BV Doshi in presence.

Read on:

What do you think?

Toppling geography and time: The works of Dayanita Singh

by Chintan Girish ModiDec 18, 2024

Architecture10 mins. read

Dayanita Singh brings home the light of BV Doshi through the Portrait of a House

by Soumya MukerjiAug 26, 2021

About Author

Rahul Kumar

Contributor

Rahul is the former Editor (Arts), STIR. He has been a Consulting Editor with Arts Illustrated and has written for various publications like Mint-Lounge and Vogue. Before retiring from mainstream corporate roles, he led an art venture for NDTV and was also involved in its television programming. He is a Fulbright scholar, a Charles Wallace fellow, and a practising artist.

When art travels across difficult political terrain, what does it carry with it?

Art 06 mins. read

When art travels across difficult political terrain, what does it carry with it?

Sep 10, 2026

by Vandana Kalra Sep 10, 2026

The first contemporary Indian art exhibition at the State Hermitage Museum in Russia initiates a conversation about memory and cultural exchange.

Opinions
Art

Silhouettes burned, etched and carved: Ana Mendieta at Tate Modern

Art 11 mins. read

Silhouettes burned, etched and carved: Ana Mendieta at Tate Modern

Sep 07, 2026

by Srishti Ojha Sep 07, 2026

The UK’s first survey of the Cuban-born American artist in a decade traces the breadth and innovation of her feminist practice, rooted in spirituality and the Earth.