Kaiya Khatri

Artist Statement

My practice is rooted in exploring different methods of preservation in nature. The key themes of my practice are embedded in highlighting the delicacy, intricacy and detail in flowers. Through vigorously exploring various print mediums I aimed to preserve flowers and their beauty suspended in time. I chose to look at flowers in particular because they are often used in prayers called Puja in Hinduism. The Sanskrit word translates to ‘the flower act’ where fresh flowers and sindoor (red prayer powder) are offered to deities in prayer as symbols of devotion towards nature and Mother Earth. As a practising Hindu I was always taught that nature is sacred, revered and respected in the sacred texts. In my work I aim to capture the beauty in nature and demonstrate a reverence towards it. My work is underpinned by the desire to preserve and appreciate natural beauty in nature. I have created a collection of processes that are intrinsically linked in a cycle of preservation with the same materials used throughout. With the boundaries of art seeking to expand and engage with pluralistic environmental nature. The borders of visual culture have ventured out of traditional aesthetics and centred around my relationships with nature. The documents of contemporary art concerning nature enabled me to understand nature as a key influence. From Socrates, Plato and Aristotle forwards, art was understood to be mimetic, failing to replicate the wonders of nature. My work is underpinned by the desire not to replicate it but to preserve and revere it. The relationships between humans and nature is one that highlights how entwined but simultaneously separate we are. With the degradation of nature so prominent in our society, I seek to protect it in my practice and appreciate its timeless beauty. The phenomena of being intrinsically entwined with nature highlights the need for a ecological balance and valuing nature is the first step in doing so.