The mixed-media artwork, …and found that the ink was frozen…, is inspired by an extract from a letter written in Gurmukhi by an Indian soldier, Signaller Nattha Singh (Sikh?) to his compatriot, Dafadar Wazir Singh (7th Lancers, Force D, Mesopotamia). The letter dated 8^th December 1915, was sent from France to Mesopotamia during the First World War. This letter along with other letters, is part of the book, ‘Indian Voices of the Great War: Soldiers’ Letters, 1914-18’ by David Omissi. An extract from the letter reads, “The second story is that on the 19th of November I began writing a letter and found that the ink was frozen in the inkstand. I broke the ink-pot, took out the ink, melted it over a fire, and wrote the letter to you with the melted ink”.

…and found that the ink was frozen…, was developed during Baptist Coelho’s year-long Artist-in-Residence, supported by and at Fondation Fiminco, Romainville, 2021-22. The residency was also supported by Fonds de Dotation Buchet Ponsoye, Paris; Institut Français, India. The artwork was first exhibited as part of the artist’s solo exhibition, You will never understand what we have gone through at Galerie Saint-Séverin, Paris, from 8 December 2021 to 6 February 2022. The exhibition was curated by Odile Burluraux.