No one knows where or when, refers to the fear of encountering unknown crevasses, when soldiers navigate the icy terrains of the Siachen Glacier. The work consists of various thick layers of bitumen felt – ‘tar patra’ in Hindi, that have been bound together with industrial adhesive and suspended from the ceiling by nylon wire. Exploring the notion that context-dependent stimuli can cause behavioral responses, the artist used tangible material to convey psychological changes of vulnerability, fear and anxiety experienced on these hostile landscapes.

The sculptural work takes the shape and form of the empty (negative) space which defines a crevasse; a deep, hollow, crack with almost vertical walls. These formations are one of the most feared natural obstacles on the glacier. The crevasses are formed as a result of stress between two semi-rigid pieces of ice. The intensity of this shear stress causes deep fissures in the ice which often are concealed by blankets of snow.

Bitumen, which has been impregnated with petroleum residues, is commonly used as roofing and insulation for the shelters on the Siachen Glacier and provides protection against severe weather conditions. These silver-grey sheets are commonly used for construction because of their stability and adhesive properties. The surface of the felt is coarse due to the mica mineral chips that cover the sheets, which inhibits them from sticking together. When the mica chips shimmer in the light, it is reminiscent of the sun, striking snow crystals on the glacier.

Petroleum has been used by the artist in his previous work titled, 14th July 2012, 2012-13, which explores the concept of fear through the stimulus of smell. In No one knows where or when, the artist revisits this concept through the use of petroleum residues in the bitumen felt, which is paradoxically a flammable material. The looming mass of suspended felt, attempts to construct the visible and emotional void encountered by soldiers on the glacier and questions if fear is discreet or dimensional.