This mixed-media collage is inspired by a brief letter possibly written in Urdu by an Indian soldier, Havildar Ghufran Khan (Afridi) to his friend. The letter possibly dated mid-April 1915, was sent from France to India during the First World War. This letter along with other letters, is part of the book, ‘Indian Voices of the Great War: Soldiers’ Letters, 1914-18’ by David Omissi. The letter describes the appalling conditions in which the soldiers were placed, where the biting ‘lice’ in their clothes were ‘worse than a rifle bullet’. The letter reads, “Our people have many lice in their clothes, and they bite terribly. They are worse than a rifle bullet. But there are no mosquitoes or other creatures which bite mankind, and no snakes or scorpions at all”.

Havildar Ghufran Khan (Afridi) to a friend (India) [Urdu?] [mid-April 1915?], was developed during Baptist Coelho’s year-long Artist-in-Residence, supported by and at Fondation Fiminco, Romainville, 2021-22. The residency was also supported by Fonds de Dotation Buchet Ponsoye, Paris; Institut Français, India. The artwork was first exhibited as part of the group exhibition at Fondation Fiminco, Romainville, from 2 June to 3 July 2022. The exhibition was curated by Yomna Osman.