PROGRAMMES / International Residencies

International Residency 2003

The Second Khoj International Residency explored the sculptural and plastic arts. Scheduled from the 16th Feb to the 27th March 2003, the residency played host to eight artists from France, Nepal, Denmark, Mexico and India.

Barbara Weibel and Patrice Rouby, ceramic artists, France
Gopal Kalapremi Shrestha, ceramic artist, Nepal
Pablo Vargas Lugo, sculptor/conceptual artist, Mexico
Simone Aaberg Kaern,video installation, Denmark with assistant Magnus Bejmar, Sweden
Kristine Michael, ceramic artist, India
K.P. Soman, sculptor, India

During the six weeks, most of the artists developed an interest in eachother’s work and techniques. The different languages and scripts of India inspired the works created by Barbara and Patrice, transferred and painted onto seedpods reminiscent of the laburnum tree commonly found on every road in Delhi. Soman worked with the theme of smell as a sarcastic and humorous comment on the social system and its dirty politics. He presented his entire work as a beauty parlor installation where there were many small-labelled bottles with different smells. Some of the bottle caps were made in the shape of different religious symbols, the audience was invited to change the cap from one bottle to another, the difference being the smell remained the same but the structure changed. This was a subtle reference to the meaninglessness of the political system and its power to exploit people.

Kristine constructed two hundred black and metallic glazed ceramic butterflies, which hung en mass from the ceiling around a 4ft high Venus Fly Trap plant. The plant was an altered male urinal with two washbasin pedestals on a bed surrounded by coal, giving the impression of a wild flower which traps flies as they hover over it. The bathroom fixtures were painted in a decorative manner with the addition of gold luster fangs. Throughout this process Kristine transformed the industrial ceramic object, whilst also demystifying the hallowed traditions of blue and white pottery painting. The work deals with the complex nature of gender issues and human relationships.

TAGS Ceramics, Found Object, Gender Politics, Installation, Plastic Arts, Political Art, Recontextualisation, Sculpture