“Out there, nothing really survives…”, consists of objects in a cold-display unit along with an audio soundtrack. The various objects consist of a soldier’s uniform, yak dung, metal scraps, dried shrub and other utilitarian objects that have experienced the frozen terrain of the Siachen Glacier and the surrounding areas. The voice of Sachin Bali, a Siachen officer can also be heard in the background, sharing his experiences on the glacier, by describing the objects displayed.

This combination of objects and narrative allow the viewer to reflect on the characteristics and origin of these intimate, time-worn, possessions which reflect personal histories. These items have been preserved inside an industrial display unit, which would normally serve the purpose of extending the shelf-life for perishable comestibles, consumed by society. This display unit becomes a metaphor for the glacier, as it defines and conserves these objects for long periods, by generating cold temperatures.

As we imbue this work with memory, we realize that the soldier’s stories and these personal items are what remain from a conflict, that has endured so many decades. These everyday articles, which were discarded and rendered useless, have now taken on a meaning and purpose of their own, by being transformed into artifacts preserved in glass. While these objects of survival have been rescued from extinction, the question remains; does anything really survive out there?