landline series by aakash nihalani

landline series by aakash nihalani
photographs by noah kalina

landline, is a series of performance installations by the artist aakash nihalani that explore themes of isolation and community.

‘in these new outdoor works, colorful bars pass through individuals, connecting them to each other and functioning as extensions of the urban landscape. the participants examine their own insides and connections, a visual expression of both the isolation and community I often feel living in brooklyn. we spend so much time existing in virtual reality, these works are a visible connection to the real world.’  – aakash nihalani

the pieces are hand made out of tape, fluorescent paper, and corrugated plastic, and use a magnetic hanging system on the t-shirts.

detail of landline by aakash nihalani
tape, fluorescent paper, corrugated plastic and magnets

‘my biggest influence has been the city’s architecture itself. the colors and tones everywhere are mostly neutral, so using bright colors allows me to really highlight and set apart the architecture that’s most interesting to me, kind of like a highlighter. plus the fluorescent palette I use doesn’t really exist in nature, just like the man-made concrete
structures of the city.’

‘I also was really into magic tricks as a kid, and optical illusions, so I’m sure that’s still embedded in the way I approach things, manipulating positive and negative space to create an alternative vision of our urban landscape.’ – aakash nihalani

read designboom’s recent interview with aakash nihalani »