Simple message The installations will travel to hospitals and malls in Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai and the U.K. more-in You could call it art for heart’s sake. And liver’s sake. And kidney’s sake. And maybe an eyeball too. Mumbaikars are intrigued by a unique art installation created to raise awareness of organ donation. The installation, consisting of a heart, liver, kidney, and eyeball made from a mix of human ashes and mud collected from a crematorium, is currently on display at Parel’s Global Hospital. In the coming days, it will travel to various hospitals and malls across Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai and the United Kingdom. The ashes were collected after the cremation of a Mumbai-based senior citizen whose family agreed to part with the last remains for the cause of raising awareness of organ donation. The mud used to bind the organ replicas was also collected from the crematorium ground. Hard-hitting “We wanted to create something hard-hitting. While brainstorming, the idea to create something from the ashes came up,” said Jaya Jairam, a project manager with Mohan Foundation, a non-profit organisation that advocates organ donation. An artist, Rajesh Sawant, 47, was then approached with diagrams of the organs that he would have to create. “I was intrigued by the idea. I felt that creating something from real human ashes was definitely going to leave a mark on people,” said Mr. Sawant, a graduate from the JJ School of Arts, who has a workshop in Thane. “I have never worked on a project with such a strong message to it,” Mr. Sawant said, adding that he created the first set of organ replicas using only the ashes and clay and shaped them with hands. This set was put on display at Infiniti Mall in Malad on December 28. However, he was worried that it might crumble easily. So a new set was created with acrylic and given a coating of ashes and mud. This was displayed at Apollo Hospital from December 29 to January 3. The installation was kept at Mohan Foundation’s Mumbai office for some time and then shifted to Global Hospital on January 23. “Since Mohan Foundation wanted the art installations to be taken to many more places, the second set was made with the help of moulds so that they are sturdy,” Mr. Sawant said. The installation is titled ‘Life before Ashes.’ The message is simple: that which became these ashes could have given a new lease of life to a critically ill patient. Representatives from Mohan Foundation wait by the installation, ready to answer questions from curious onlookers.

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