Nehal Rachh, a design graduate, turned to clay early on. Following her graduation, she trained as a potter at the Golden Bridge Pottery Pondicherry. While residencies in Europe and UK further served as learning curves, she had reached a point where I knew her path clearly. The last two decades have been very fulfilling for her as she divides her time between her artistic practice, curatorial projects and mentoring young students.

A recipient of the Senior as well as the Junior Fellowships from the Ministry of Culture, she continues to work in ceramics as well as paper. As a ceramist, she is also deeply drawn toward the form of a vessel, the receptacle of preservation and storage that changed the way man survived and lived. These forms build on the space of contemplation and passion that she has for food, its many layers and intrinsic connection to life. The extensions of this interest are seen in the intersecting space of utilitarian objects and artistic expressions that she produces.

Seeds, grains, symmetrically shaped pods – these beautiful forms of preservation, being both delicate and strong, inspire her current series of objects and drawings. She continues to present her works in numerous group and solo exhibitions.

Artist Statement

As an artist, my process is intuitive rather than preconceived, I let the logical mind go when I’m creating. I believe the introspective quality and sensitivity of an artist has perhaps the benefits of allowing a natural connection to creative forces that are universal, and beyond the limitations of rational explanation. I play with notions of ambiguity and symbolism, making the unfamiliar – familiar, and vice versa. These are notations from my subconscious, often open to interpretation and holding multiple meanings as well as the capacity for varied deciphering. This feature also relates to my drawings, on clay and paper, that are fluid extensions of abstract thought.

Among the various subjects that I have explored, the philosophical and tactile exploration of fragmentation has been a recurring concept in my work; it relates to notions of renewal and resilience, connecting to the larger sphere of natural cyclical processes that require things to break down before they grow again. Destruction of one sort feeds new life, something that working with clay teaches us.

As a ceramist, I am also deeply drawn toward the form of a vessel, the receptacle of preservation and storage that changed the way man survived and lived. These forms buil on the space of contemplation and passion that I have for food, its many layers and intrinsic connection to life as we live it. The extensions of this interest are seen in the intersecting space of utilitarian objects and artistic expressions that I produce. Seeds, grains, symmetrically shaped pods – these beautiful forms of preservation, being both delicate and strong, inspire my current series of objects and drawings.