Ayuka - The Ultimate Celestial Race by Market Yard Studio

In the realm of races, games, or contests, there's an inherent structure with a clear start, hard stop, and subsequent scoring, introducing elements of restriction, bias, and polarity. The dichotomy of faster-slower, good-not-good, winner-loser emerges, creating a dynamic that can feel limiting.

Yet, within us all lies an enduring hope for improvement. Both victory and defeat serve as motivators to persist, with the exhilaration of winning triggering a dopamine rush and the sting of loss fuelling the belief in redemption.

Despite the influence of grading and scoring, participants remain committed to the path, creating a continuum across diverse events, locations, people, sports, and situations. This collective persistence imparts a sense of boundlessness to the overall experience.

When we shift from competition to play, a different narrative unfolds. Absent specified start and end times or a final goal, the experience becomes infinite, fostering exploration without constraints.

This artwork was exhibited at Method Delhi in the group exhibition "Fresh Produce" (January 2025).