Young artists turn to handmade forms to explore memory, identity and ecology

Ten emerging artists working with materials ranging from clay and glass to textiles, natural dyes, wood and reclaimed rubber are part of Insubordinate Matter, the sixth edition of Emami Art’s annual IMAGINARIUM open-call exhibition. On display at Gallery 2 and 3 of Emami Art until December 26, the exhibition brings together practices that explore the relationship between material, memory, the body and the natural environment.Launched in 2020, IMAGINARIUM was conceived to support young and emerging visual artists through awards, exhibitions and mentorship. This year, the open call received more than 1,200 portfolios, which were reviewed by a jury comprising artist Ibrahim Mahama, May Makki, Siddharth Somaiya, Shaunak Mahbubani and Emami Art director and head curator Ushmita Sahu. Ten artists were selected for the exhibition, with three receiving the annual awards.Bhagyashri Dange received the first award of Rs 2 lakh, followed by Sonu Pujar, who received the second award of Rs 1.5 lakh, and Subhash Deka, who received the third award of Rs 1 lakh. The awards are supported by the Emami Foundation and Kolkata Centre for Creativity.The exhibition takes the position that material is not merely a medium for artistic expression but can also hold memory and carry meaning. The works examine two broad concerns: the body and its inherited histories, and the natural world under pressure. Through handmade and often tactile forms, the artists explore questions of identity, gender, ecology, labour and collective memory.“The strength of this year’s cohort lies in its materiality. These are artists who think through substance, through clay and glass, cloth, wood and reclaimed matter, and who treat the made object not as a surface for ideas but as something living, that holds memory and carries a fragile world,” said Sahu.The participating artists approach these concerns through varied practices. Dange works across drawing, painting and printmaking to examine the body as a site of memory and conditioning, while Pujar uses textiles, organic matter and domestic materials to explore gendered labour, care and personal histories. Deka draws on natural rhythms and environmental phenomena to create sculptural works reflecting the relationship between people and their surroundings.Other artists bring distinct material approaches to the exhibition. Srijita Raha works with textiles and natural dyes to explore girlhood, vulnerability and psychological space. Annanya Dhanda draws on domestic objects and familial histories, particularly mother-daughter relationships, while Ayushi Shukla engages with traditional visual languages and the cultural memory of the Ganga.The remaining participants are Tithi Das, whose paintings draw on archival photographs and emotional inheritance; Dibbya Mudi, who transforms discarded industrial rubber through weaving and stitching; Shibayan Halder, whose multidisciplinary practice examines environmental change and the relationship between people and place; and Siya Raju, who works with ceramics and glass to explore natural forms and human relationships.Speaking about the initiative, Richa Agarwal, founder-director of Emami Art, said the open call was established to address the gap between artistic talent and the opportunities available to young practitioners. “What matters to us is not recognition alone, but giving emerging artists the standing and the support a young practice needs at the moment it is most fragile,” she said.Get the latest Bollywood & Entertainment News, and more. Download the TOI app.Give your child the gift of confidence! Claim your exclusive TOI Masterclass spot today!