In 2018, Tanushree Singh embarked on a journey with Lacuna Studio to explore the art of ceramics in Goa, driven by a desire to infuse rooms with statement pieces that elevate every corner. With her designs inspired by the natural world and human forms, Singh brings to life the exquisite beauty of ceramics, enriching spaces with elements that make you pause for a second, amidst the environment of homogenously produced objects.
We talk to the ceramic artist about her beginnings, her artistry and the challenges of running an independent ceramic studio.
What made you start an independent ceramic art studio?
I stumbled upon pottery during a sabbatical in late 2018. I instantly loved it and just followed that instinct in the months to come and it eventually turned into a career when I started my studio, Lacuna, in late 2019. I always wanted to be an artist and working with clay opened up that world for me.
I stumbled upon pottery during a sabbatical in late 2018. I instantly loved it and just followed that instinct in the months to come and it eventually turned into a career when I started my studio, Lacuna, in late 2019. I always wanted to be an artist and working with clay opened up that world for me.
What inspires your design aesthetics?
My practice is driven by a fierce passion for experimentation and my visual language comes from an unconventional confluence of my interests in poetry, science fiction and horror. I like creating visual narratives that exist on the precipice of an alternate, unseen reality.
A lot of your planters and sculptures have the shape of different body parts, what is your thought process behind them?
Over the years my art practice has shifted from pottery to doing more sculptural work. The forms I create are inspired by the organic intricacies of natual forms and the human body, the exploration of my own mindscape and the nuances of human experiences. I'm fascinated by human anatomical forms and the way it allows me to express myself by molding these forms in unique ways.
What are your aspirations for the future?
After 5 years of working with clay I'm now looking forward to teach what I've learnt in this creative journey with more people. I also want to take a step back from creating for volume and only focus on some conceptual projects that I have in mind.
What sort of feeling do you wish to give to anyone who holds your ceramics?
What sort of feeling do you wish to give to anyone who holds your ceramics?
I like people to have to their own interpretation of my work, anything that gives them pause for thought.
What are the challenges of running a ceramic studio in today's times?
There are many challenges when it comes to ceramics in India. Practicing ceramics as a profession is expensive and extremely resource heavy, and unfortunately these resources aren't always readily available or easy to find and often vary in quality. The cost of production is high for small scale studios and a lot of Indian consumers are yet to catch up to understanding why hand made ceramic art cannot come at a cheap price. People are used to paying peanuts for pottery because of our inherent class and caste biased perception about traditional pottery and artisans - and this hurts everyone in the industry. There is also not enough institutional support for ceramic artists not just in terms of spaces that offer a community set up for working (a concept which is popular in the West and allows more people to practice pottery), but also in terms of spaces that give opportunities for ceramic artists to showcase their work in a way that really benefits them.
Date 10.04.2024