My practice in a nutshell

Indian artist Ranjani Shettar discusses how her sculpture is a concrete version of her experiences ‐ those transient feelings and environments that exist purely because of perceptions. She sees these environments as being constructed to be experienced rather than seen. Shettar is best known for her large scale sculptural installations, using modern and traditional crafts to sculpt natural and industrial materials to create multidimensional works.

The journey from mind to a completed material work is an active combination of idea, medium and philosophy. The destination is not always obvious at the beginning and that uncertainty sets her on a path of searching that can lead to unexpected places.

Familiarity with the medium helps in the exploration of the piece, but as she is constantly shifting her choice of material, challenges are created. As she chooses a path to tread, she becomes more comfortable with the work itself. At that point she stays longer ‐ diving more deeply into the artwork.

Shettar writes: “An advantage of the drawn out process of creating sculpture is this ability to immerse yourself into the work and its creation. That complex understanding of a sculpture built over time ‐ where technicalities and tools are no longer getting in the way ‐ is the most comfortable position” for her. Giving her time to linger and enjoy, but also making it difficult to tear herself away when the studio process ends. This particular approach to working on a project becomes habitual and can appear unintentional.