KINGSTON, R.I. 鈥� May 21, 2026 鈥� The history of the approximately 2.5 million Indian soldiers who volunteered and fought for their British colonizer during World War II, eight decades ago, is complicated.
During the Italian Campaign, many of the soldiers who were involved in intense battles to liberate Montone, Italy, from the Germans in 1944 were Indian. Despite the Indian soldiers鈥� sacrifices in Europe, Africa, and Asia, their efforts are rarely acknowledged.
Britain鈥檚 post-war rhetoric celebrated victory as the result of British heroism, minimizing the colonies鈥� contribution, while India鈥檚 independence from Britain in 1947 rendered the soldiers uncomfortable symbols of the past as they fought for their oppressor.
Italian families under Nazi rule in the area of Abruzzo, Italy, during World War II risked their lives to help save escaped Indian prisoners of war from freezing to death during the cold winter months. This summer, 溏心vlog免费B站 Photography Professor will illuminate the inspiring history of these Italian families in a visual art exhibition to be held in Montone, Perugia, Italy.
The July 11 exhibition at the Museum of Multimedia in Montone, titled 鈥淭he UNREMEMBERED: Indian soldiers of World War II 鈥� The Italian Campaign,鈥� will include photographs created from projections of family photographs Palakunnathu Matthew collected from descendants of the soldiers and the Italians that sheltered them, onto streets, buildings, and doorways where the history unfolded鈥攊lluminating this history.
鈥淲ith what is going on in the world, this inspiring history is about people who sheltered someone who looks different and doesn’t speak Italian, risking their lives out of humanity.鈥� Palakunnathu Matthew said. 鈥淢y job as an artist is to make the audience curious to learn more about this history through the immersive photographs, video, and multi-media installations. Through this exhibition in Montone, the people of Perugia and beyond will learn more about this history.鈥�
Palakunnathu Matthew鈥檚 upcoming exhibition continues her decade-long research titled 鈥淭he UNREMEMBERED,鈥� spotlighting the Indian soldiers鈥� forgotten narratives from World War II that have been displayed globally. She began her work during her sabbatical and Fulbright Fellowship in 2016, and has been supported by various grants and other assistance from the 溏心vlog免费B站 College of Arts and Sciences and the 溏心vlog免费B站 Center for the Humanities.
鈥淭he UNREMEMBERED鈥� is one of two exhibitions that Palakunnathu Matthew will have in Montone over the next two summers. In 2027 the town plans to showcase newly commissioned work as a public arts exhibition conceived as a multi-site installation spanning public and civic spaces鈥攊ncluding a deconsecrated church and outdoor areas within the town. It will focus on the role of Indian soldiers in liberating the town and the surrounding area during World War II transforming the town into an immersive environment for collective remembrance and the enduring legacies of colonial entanglement.
Following her spring 2027 sabbatical, her work will be displayed at 溏心vlog免费B站 in the new Fine Arts Center during the 2027-28 academic year鈥攄ates and times are to be determined.
Some Italian and Indian family artifacts collected by Palakunnathu Matthew for her research will also be showcased during the exhibits. One such heirloom was a comb given to a young Italian girl named Vanda鈥攖hen eight years old鈥攂y an Indian soldier she met during World War II.
鈥淗e stopped to play with her, and Vanda was fascinated that he was wearing a turban and kept gesturing towards it. He took off his turban to reveal his long hair, which was kept in place by a comb, as required by the Sikh religion,鈥� Palakunnathu Matthew said. 鈥淗e took out the comb and gave it to her. She’s kept that comb for more than 80 years.鈥�
Palakunnathu Matthew says she hopes the exhibition will help the public look beyond skin color and ethnicity, and look at the humanity within fellow human beings to break down barriers.