Artist Statement
How can one discern the personal and political through ceramics?
My sculptural objects are an ongoing exploration of unpacking my shame & insecurities, focussing on unsolicited comments I have received about my body to this day– bent nose, chicken legs and perky breasts. At the same time, I feel compelled to address my own beauty standards by challenging the body politics surrounding it and understanding the importance of the personal and shared human experience.
My narrative is a slight departure from 'home' being a place where I find ease and comfort because, personally, it is where it all started. What resonates with me about clay as a material is that it records my lived experience, the body's fragility when perceived as an object.
Nandini Chandavarkar
Nandini Chandavarkar is a ceramic artist and visual designer currently living in India. She is a graduate of Visual Communication from Srishti Institute of Art, Design & Technology, Bangalore, India. She attended a 2-month advanced pottery programme at Atelier Lālmitti, Himachal Pradesh, under the guidance of Élodie Alexandre and Reyaz Badaruddin, which marked the starting point of a dedicated and sustained practice in ceramics. She will be completing a one-year mentorship under them. She is looking to bridge her graphic design background and her clay practice and create a substantial body of work addressing personal narratives. Recently, she was featured in Verve Magazine India and Kinship+Craft’s instagram.
