MA degree show

WORK DOCUMENTATION

Tambde Devul ( The Red Temple)

Originally planning to create an actual sized wall panel and painting on it, due to practical limitations, I settled on a curved metal sheet, experimenting with how natural pigment reacted on metal and how to display it.

There were many challenges I faced during this work, especially because I was working on a metal sheet. One major challenge was testing how the naturally made soil would react on a metal surface. Even though I had applied thick layers of chalk and properly treated the sheet before working on it, it took me at least four to five attempts to successfully get it right. In the midst of the process, certain stains and dots began appearing as the pigment dried, and due to the short timeline for the MA show, I had to quickly find solutions by reprocessing the surface multiple times to achieve the final painting.

The main problem was that, since it was a natural pigment, no one could give me a clear answer on how to solve these issues and experimentation was the only way forward. Another challenge was creating a stand or plinth to place the sheet on. I initially wanted to make a table at eye level, but due to its size and length, that became difficult. Disucssions with Geraint Evans suggested that I work with something lower instead, and rather than making a sophisticated table, I should design something that resonated with my practice and sketches. I followed his advice, and it turned out to be a great success in the final outcome of the work.

experimental metal sheet

Experimenting how soil pigments react on metal surface

Metal sheet bending

pigment making from excavated laterite soil

Work in Progress

Making layout in Adobe Illustrator

Layout for cross-bar stand

CNC cut final base

The Smell of Salt and Steel ( Projection mapping)

Smell of Salt and Steel combined painting with video projection mapping. Initially, I had planned to work across multiple screens, but due to technical constraints and advice from technicians at Chelsea College of Arts, I focused on two projections alongside a single painting. The work required careful planning: I created a zigzag-shaped canvas to allow viewers to experience two perspectives simultaneously, one side showing the painting, the other the projected video. This setup aimed to give the work a duality, reflecting the layered memory and spatial experiences I was exploring.

The video documented Billingsgate Fish Market in London, contrasting it with the fish markets of Goa. I used audio recorded in Goa like the ringing of bells, market chatter, and the general bustle to create a sensory layer that tied memory, longing, and place together. Learning to use sophisticated projection mapping software, including MadMapper and MapMap, presented its own challenges. I had to troubleshoot angles, projection alignment, and timing to ensure the image fit the zigzag canvas. Every step from planning the projection layout to executing it on an irregular, folded surface became part of the work itself, reinforcing the connection between material, space, and memory.