ARTEculations from ITERARTE

With Nidhi Khurana about her debut solo exhibition Traces of Existence

Join us for the inaugural exhibition of ITERARTE, 'Traces of Existence: Place Between Places,' featuring a solo show by artist Nidhi Khurana. Curated by Tamara Chalabi, co-founder of ITERARTE, this episode explores the inspirations, techniques, and the deep-seated roots of Khurana's work. Listen in as Khurana discusses her unique use of maps, historical and cosmological narratives, and various traditional techniques such as natural dyes, stitching, and the application of gold and silver in her intricate artworks. Don't miss this insightful conversation that delves into themes of memory, place, and the evolving nature of art itself.

During her residency at Westwerk, Nidhi collaborated with Dr. Pranjal Trivedi, astrophysics

researcher at Hamburg Observatory, University of Hamburg, delving into cosmic mysteries

mapped across space and time. Pranjal’s research focused on the nature of dark matter and on

the origin and evolution of cosmic magnetic fields.

We (both the artist and scientist) are made of cosmic dust and the gold and silver used in

the artwork were forged in the belly of the stars only to be scattered across the galaxy by

supernovae. The collaboration is a continuous conversation of creative exchange that

interrogates changing perceptions and mappings of the sky over the last 500 years; from a

tableau for creation myths to a celestial compass useful for locating ourselves to navigate

across the seas.

Peter Whitfield in Mapping the Heavens wrote "The desire to observe, chart and understand

a realm of the universe that was permanently beyond the reach of direct experience was

driven by intellectual curiosity in its purest forms.”