3D Modelling & Animation by Sundeep Dhami
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Koh-I-Noor (2007)
The Koh-I-Noor is the center piece diamond set into the colonial British Crown Jewels. Similarly to the Prince Albert Memorial monument at Hyde Park, London, It is symbolic of the British empires desire for global domination of the four continents.
This monument presents a rather unsightly gold plated robust Prince Albert purusing through the catalogue of the 1851 Great Exhibition. The Koh-I-Noor was the displayed here as the star of the show. The majority of the 'World-beating' Art, Science, and Humanities institutions in the surrounding area of Kensington were all built upon the stolen profits of a violent colonisation. |
The Koh-I-Noor diamond is believed to carry both an entitlement and a curse. It's various holders have disparingly observed as their once great nations have collapsed and fallen. Since being taken into the fold of the British monarchy, we have seen the components the of it's gathered empire fragement and break away piece by piece. This work was presented at the British Empire & Commonwealth Museum, Bristol, as part of the touring Independence Stories exhibition. By sheer coincidence less than a year atter the animation illuminated it's hall the Museum closed its doors for the final time. Some people believe that there are no coincidences.
The palace built to house the Koh-I-Noor and other Empiric 'aquistions' at the Great Exhibition was later rehoused at Crystal Palace where a large crowd watched it burn to cinders. Whoever controls history controls the future. Whoever controls the media controls the present.
The palace built to house the Koh-I-Noor and other Empiric 'aquistions' at the Great Exhibition was later rehoused at Crystal Palace where a large crowd watched it burn to cinders. Whoever controls history controls the future. Whoever controls the media controls the present.
Transcript
I remember a story that an elder once told me
as we flew over Afghanistan on a long-haul flight to the motherland:
The story of the Kohinoor Diamond’s Curse.
For the rightful owner, the diamond would bestow the power to rule the world, yet no man shall ever dare wear it.
Krishna wore it on his sleeve from where it was stolen one night.
Over centuries, the diamond travelled through the hands of man,
leaving havoc and chaos in its wake:
Every empire to ever hold the diamond has fallen.
In 1850, the Kohinoor Diamond was seized from Lahaur by the British forces as they took control of the Punjab,
the last stronghold in India.
The gemstone headed east,
towards Portsmouth Docks to its new home at the heart of the Albion.
Queen Victoria, hearing of the curse, first refused it,
but eventually was persuaded otherwise,
and since the diamond’s change of ownership,
the curse seems resplendent;
one by one,
each of the colonies have fought, and gained independence,
India finding independence from British rule August 1947,
300 years after the fight-back began.
In the last 60 years,
India has shown signs of healing and I marvel
at the meteoric rise and the spirit of its people,
now colonising the world wide.
I remember a story that an elder once told me
as we flew over Afghanistan on a long-haul flight to the motherland:
The story of the Kohinoor Diamond’s Curse.
For the rightful owner, the diamond would bestow the power to rule the world, yet no man shall ever dare wear it.
Krishna wore it on his sleeve from where it was stolen one night.
Over centuries, the diamond travelled through the hands of man,
leaving havoc and chaos in its wake:
Every empire to ever hold the diamond has fallen.
In 1850, the Kohinoor Diamond was seized from Lahaur by the British forces as they took control of the Punjab,
the last stronghold in India.
The gemstone headed east,
towards Portsmouth Docks to its new home at the heart of the Albion.
Queen Victoria, hearing of the curse, first refused it,
but eventually was persuaded otherwise,
and since the diamond’s change of ownership,
the curse seems resplendent;
one by one,
each of the colonies have fought, and gained independence,
India finding independence from British rule August 1947,
300 years after the fight-back began.
In the last 60 years,
India has shown signs of healing and I marvel
at the meteoric rise and the spirit of its people,
now colonising the world wide.
