Chila's Indian horoscope - Kundli

A printed version of Chila Burman's kundli (Indian horoscope) on a red patterned background, titled 'Chila's Indian horoscope - Kundli', 2017. The frame embellished with mirror pieces.

A kundli (also known as a panchanga) is an astrological horoscope and almanac that predicts a person's trajectory through life. Burman’s features images of deities around the edge, with the text in Devanagari script.

One of 29 works produced by Burman as a commission to accompany the Science Museum’s ‘Illuminating India’ season in 2017-18. The original display included Burman's original horoscope, which was replaced with this print version for the permanent collection.

The works respond to objects and narratives in the history of science in India particularly to the exhibition ‘5000 Years of Science and Innovation’, as well as to the wider religious and cultural history of the sub-continent. This was Burman's first significant engagement with the history of science and medicine, with the works ranging across print, collage, photography and mixed-media, including experiments with iPad technology.