It is only through the lens of the past, an appreciation of traditional form, rituals and history that one understands the complexities of the present and can cope with the uncertainty of the future. In an increasingly plastic and digital world, artist Madhvi Subrahmanian chooses to use the most ancient and tactile material, clay as her medium of self-expression.

In this presentation Subrahmanian will examine the relevance of clay in traditional Indian society, the reverence and philosophical underpinnings of the material and how it has inspired her personal journey in clay. She will follow this presentation with a demonstration of some of the techniques she uses in her own work to decorate surfaces.

Madhvi Subrahmanian is a ceramic artist working in India, the United States, and Singapore. Having lived in three continents and in four countries, the constant change she experiences is a major influence in her work.