Common Ground: the Second Edition of Indian Ceramics Triennale
ByThe Artling TeamHayley Coulthard and Rona Rubuntja of Hermannsburg Potters. Image courtesy Indian Ceramics Triennale and the artists.
Engaging with landscapes, identities, and histories embedded in clay, Common Ground aims for greater inclusivity, reflecting on practices that mediate between readings of precedent and practice, historical and contemporary, material and ephemeral. After its successful inaugural edition in Jaipur in 2018, the second iteration of much-anticipated Indian Ceramics Triennale themed ‘Common Ground’ is scheduled from January 19 to March 31, 2024 at the capital’s newest cultural hub Arthshila.
Image courtesy of Indian Ceramics Triennale.
Seeking to create a dialogue between varied pasts and presents, and between materials and methodology, technology and tradition, Common Ground will showcase these dynamic and fluid conversations through the artistic lens of renowned ceramic artists from South Asia and around the world, including Eliza Au from the USA, Rita Badilla-Gudino from the Philippines, and Indian artists such as Parag Tandel, Deepak Kumar, Ankon Mitra, Dhruvi Acharya, and more.
The theme of "Common Ground" builds upon the framework of Breaking Ground from the first edition, aiming to nurture the diversity of ceramic art expression. This Triennale serves as a platform for showcasing clay-centric projects that transcend boundaries and challenge expectations.
Artist Highlights
ANDREW BURTON & LILIAN NABULIME
Image courtesy of the artists.
Lilian Nabulime is a leading Kampala-based artist known for her wood carving and for her social sculpture tackling stigma around HIV AIDS. Andrew Burton is a British artist whose work explores themes of architecture, nature and heritage.
Nabulime and Burton have collaborated since 2015 on projects in Africa exploring ‘jua kali’ (which translates as under the sun), focusing on marginalised artisanal work. They have each shown their work internationally for over twenty years, winning many prestigious prizes and awards. For the Indian Ceramics Triennale, they will be collaborating with women from dairy farming communities around Mandi Village South Delhi who are experienced bithoora makers.
ASISH CHOWDHURY
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Asish Chowdhury is a ceramics artist based in Kolkata, West Bengal. Using clay as a vehicle for interrogations of the complexities and harsh realities of modern life, he draws from national news of social upheaval and signs of protest to the ubiquitous presence of architecture to inform the shape of his narratives.
A graduate of Visva Bharati, Sriniketan in 2003, he now runs his own studio while also working as Ceramics Mentor at the Arts Acre Museum, Kolkata.
He has won many awards and had major solo shows at the India Habitat Center and several private galleries in New Delhi and besides participating in group shows. He also frequently joins workshops around the country, the longest of which was a 45-day International Ceramics Workshop in exchange program with Korean Ceramic Artists, at Kalakshetra, Chennai.
He is currently immersed in a project based on the ideas of Borderland.
AWDHESH TAMRAKAR
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Awdhesh was born in Shahgarh, Madhya Pradesh in 1989. He completed his Bachelor and Master degree in Sculpture from the Faculty of Fine Arts, M.S. University Baroda, in 2013 and 2015 respectively. Tamrakar has been awarded a Gold Medal and Chinmoy Pramanik Memorial Award both from Faculty of Fine Art, Baroda in 2015, and Emerging Master Award by Sarjan Art Gallery, Baroda in 2014. Tamrakar's solo exhibitions include Dūr-darāz at Shrine Empire Gallery, New Delhi in 2022, Muted Mathaar: Supported by The Raza Foundation at Triveni Art Gallery, New Delhi in 2021, and Unfastened Association, supported by SCZCC, Nagpur, at Faculty of Fine Arts, Baroda in 2016.
BIRENDER KUMAR YADAV
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Birender is an Indian contemporary artist whose work is deeply rooted in his personal and cultural background. Coming from a family of ironworkers in Dhanbad, Birender's early exposure to his father's craft sparked his interest in art and craftsmanship. He embarked on a journey to study fine arts, earning his academic degrees from Banaras Hindu University and College of Arts, Delhi University.
Birender's artistic endeavors have gained recognition both in India and internationally. Notably, his participation in exhibitions such as the Berlin Biennale has brought his unique artistic language to a global audience. Drawing inspiration from his upbringing in a mining area surrounded by a working-class culture, Yadav's work eloquently captures the labor, life, pain, struggle, and beauty that characterize this particular social stratum. Through his art, he seeks to fuse traditional ironworking skills with academic knowledge, creating a visual dialogue that transcends boundaries and bridges disparate worlds. Birendra was born in Delhi in 1992 and lives and works in New Delhi, India.
HAYLEY COULTHARD AND RONA RUBUNTJA of HERMANNSBURG POTTERS
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The Hermannsburg Potters are a dedicated group of Western Aranda (Australian Aboriginal) artists creating vibrant handmade ceramic pots that express their collective and individually lived experiences in their distinct Country. The Potters practice from their studio in the small community of Ntaria/Hermannsburg, in the remote central desert region of Australia.
Through ceramics, the Potters sculpt and paint their visual histories and contemporary settings, speaking to Western Aranda cultural beliefs and traditions and the present-day experiences of Indigenous peoples in Australia.
Image courtesy of the artist.
Hayley Coulthard is an artist, art worker and current Chair of Hermannsburg Potters. She has been working with clay for 15 years and has exhibited widely across Australia and internationally. Rona Rubuntja is a founding member of Hermannsburg Potters where she has practiced for over 30 years. Rona is deaf and uses art to share stories from her life. She is renowned for her vibrant, humorous work and technical skill.
KUMBHAR ISMAIL HUSSAIN, KUMBHAR JAMILA HAZI, KUMBHAR MEERIYA ALARAKHA, KUMBHAR FATIMA ISMAIL, AND KHAMIR
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Kumbhar Ismail from the village of Lodai is a potter who carries the wisdom of time, shaping clay into intricate tales of tradition and resilience. Despite a 17 year sojourn in Dubai he endures the spirit of craftsmanship. The clay brought him back to his roots.
Kumbhar Jamila Hazi, daughter of Ismail Hussain, brings a fresh palette to the family tradition. She breathes life into pottery through painting, a skill passed down through generations. Her strokes on clay pot narrate tales of familial bonds and the artistic lineage that courses through her veins.
At 74, Kumbhar Meeriya Alarakha paints on pottery with a mastery passed down from her mother, creating a bridge between the past and the present. Her hands, weathered by time, continue to create the beauty of tradition and the enduring legacy of her craft.
Fatema Ismail discovered the world of painting after marriage. At 64, she holds the paint brush with grace, contradicting her late start. Her artistic evolution encapsulates the richness of her experiences with the hues of her own unique perspective.
In the rich landscape of Kachchh's artisanal heritage, Khamir is a dedicated supporter. The team at Khamir, including communication designer Daraab Abbasi and ceramic designer Maurya Goldy have acted as facilitators. Together they engaged in a participatory process to bring up an exhibition concept shaped by the artisans creativity.
KUSHALA VORA
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Kushala Vora is a dreamer, community organizer and an interdisciplinary artist based in Panchgani, India and Chicago, USA. In and through her practice she focuses on loosening the exertion of power on oneself, another and the landscape that we reside with. Kushala is one of Chicago’s Newcity 2023 Breakout Artists. She has recently been an artist in residence at The Hyde Park Art Center, Skowhegan School of Painting and Drawing, and Anderson Ranch Art Center. Kushala received a MFA from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She holds a post-graduate diploma in Modern and Contemporary Indian Art History and Curatorial Studies from Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum in Mumbai, India. She is the co-founder of Atmo - a reading + praxis forum, and is an active contributor of Spaceshift Collective and Floating Museum.
OM PRAKASH GALAV
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Om Prakash Galav, a resident of Ramgarh district Alwar, Rajasthan, hails from a long line of ancestral potters, with more than 15 generations dedicated to advancing this craft. He possesses a profound passion for clay work and consistently strives for innovation. Om Prakash Galav has left an indelible mark in the world of clay art, holding the record for crafting the smallest terracotta artifacts alongside creating impressive giant pieces. His achievements extend to receiving both National and International awards for his exceptional work in terracotta pottery.
PRITHWIRAJ MALI
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Prithwiraj Mali was born in 1978 in Bargan near Sundarban, West Bengal. He was brought up in a rural environment where he completed his primary education, during which the regional socio-cultural values had a deep impact on him. He was also deeply influenced by the socialist ideologies arising from the findings of the natural disasters in the region, and also the notches of partition and miserable migrations of India.
He has studied at the Government College, Calcutta and the Faculty of Fine Arts, Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda i. While pursuing post-graduation at Baroda, his artwork reflected the regional sentiments and socio-political aspects of Bengal. He successfully portrayed the serious concerns of society with humor.
In 2006, he had the opportunity to work with Hervey Hood at the Berllanderi Sculpture Workshop in South Wales, United Kingdom. He eventually moved to Vadodara as a practicing artist, and spent fifteen years as an academic in several architectural institutions and also participated in national and international art exhibitions. This exposure provided a new dimension and language to his ideas, which is reflected in his artwork. He lives and works in Vadodara as a freelance artist.
SHRADDHA JOSHI and ROSS ANDREWS
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Shraddha Joshi in technical collaboration with Ross Andrews are ceramic artists who have both graduated from Cardiff School of Art and Design in South Wales.
Shraddha grew up amidst the rich cultural heritage of India absorbing a vivid spectrum of ideas around life events. She has always been curious, and has questioned the fundamental existential disposition as to why we as humans should value our place within the world. Her understanding of geometry and the relationship between pattern and form is truly compelling. To her, one small element used in repetitive arrangements to become something greater than the sum of its parts, is fascinating.
For the full lineup of artists at Indian Ceramics Triennale, visit https://www.indianceramicstriennale.com.
About Indian Ceramics Triennale
Image courtesy Indian Ceramics Triennale
The Indian Ceramics Triennale, a project of the Contemporary Clay Foundation a volunteer based organisation, was initiated in 2016 by artist-curators Anjani Khanna, Madhvi Subrahmanian, Neha Kudchadkar, Reyaz Badaruddin, Sharbani Das Gupta, and Vineet Kacker.. It aims to showcase and nurture the growing diversity of ceramic art expression in India and to exhibit together with the best practices in international contemporary ceramics. Presenting cutting edge art, the Indian Ceramics Triennale broadens the scope and viewership of the ceramic medium within the visual arts field. The second edition of Indian Ceramics Triennale will take place in New Delhi from 19th January to 31st March 2024.
Where: Arthshila Delhi, B-19/1, Pocket B, Okhla Phase 2, New Delhi
When: 19th January - 31st March 2024
For more information: https://www.indianceramicstriennale.com/
