NJ9842 #1 is a monotype (111.5 × 76 cm) on archival paper with pencil and charcoal drawing. The work reflects the long history of military clashes and standoffs on the Siachen Glacier since 1984, portraying a landscape shaped by oropolitics.

NJ9842 is the northernmost marked point on the India–Pakistan ceasefire line in Kashmir, known as the Line of Control (LoC). From here, the Actual Ground Position Line (AGPL) runs north along the Saltoro Ridge into the Siachen Glacier conflict zone. The borders of China, India, and Pakistan meet near Indira Col, a high pass at the glacier’s northern tip. In this context, the monochromatic artwork is a unique monotype, created by arranging strips of gauze bandages on a smooth metal plate inked in black. The plate was run through a cylindrical printing press with paper to transfer the impressions of the bandages. This process was repeated several times, producing textured, translucent layers of overlapping medical gauze that evoke contested border lines across the glacier’s unpredictable and fragile landscape.

Since 1984, the Siachen Glacier conflict has been defined by pivotal moments: India’s capture of key Saltoro Ridge positions during Operation Meghdoot in 1984; intense fighting in 1987 leading to the capture of the Quaid (Bana) Post; renewed attention during the 1999 Kargil War; and the 2003 ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan, which reduced large-scale hostilities. Talks on demilitarisation have followed, but without a lasting resolution. All these episodes emerge as endless black swirls drifting upward like ghostly circles over the glacial field of frayed bandage strips, forms that mirror the recurring voids left by conflict and memory. Where they meet, the concentric circles and bandages reveal hidden symbols such as a star, a wheel, bullets, and other sharp objects, suggesting both the scars of conflict and the possibility of healing, repair, and resilience.

NJ9842 #1 is part of Baptist Coelho’s ongoing multimedia series NJ9842. The series explores the Siachen Glacier’s harsh geographical conditions, border complexities, and oropolitical significance, while also addressing the territorial disputes, environmental issues, and political tensions that keep the conflict unresolved.

NJ9842 #1 was first exhibited as part of the artist’s solo exhibition, It still hasn’t ended, at Bâtiment IV, Esch-sur-Alzette, from 30 May to 14 June 2024. The exhibition was supported by the University of Luxembourg, Department of Social Sciences.