Zaat: Exploring womanhood through metal and memory
The Gallery at British Council, Kasturba Gandhi Marg, presents Zaat by Royal College of Art Graduate Sonakshi, a powerful sculptural installation that unravels matrilineal memory through the language of heirloom, metal, and meaning.
The exhibition runs from 11 June through 31 July 2025 as part of Study UK: Creative Connections II.
Born in Agra and now based in London, Sonakshi Chaturvedi brings together her expertise in painting, enamelling, and gemology to question how women's histories are remembered—or systematically erased. The exhibition confronts the inherited roles of bride, mother, and grandmother, foregrounding untold longings encoded within craft traditions of the Indian subcontinent.
A Fresh Voice in Contemporary Art
Fresh from completing her MA in Jewellery & Metal at the prestigious Royal College of Art (2024), Sonakshi represents a new generation of artists bridging traditional craft with contemporary artistic practice. Her unique background as both a Graduate Gemologist and researcher with Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (Ministry of Culture) positions her with the requisite capabilities to question the cultural significance of adornment and inheritance in South Asian societies.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Giao dịch vàng CFDs với mức chênh lệch giá thấp nhất
IC Markets
Đăng ký
Undo
'Zaat began as a way to fortify my own nostalgia, but it evolved into an act of reclamation—tracing heirloom objects that held the silent resistance of women remembered only as mothers, brides, grandmothers. Through sculpture, I archive their matrilineal inheritance as material memory—for future female ancestors to know them not just by the roles they played, but as individuals with dreams, agency, and voice' explains Chaturvedi.
Exploring Material Memory
The title "Zaat" refers to identity or the core sense of being. Visitors to Zaat will encounter a series of sculptural forms crafted in brass, white metal, cold enamel, resin-based enamel, and gemstones—each inspired by objects from the artist's grandmother's wedding trousseau. At first glance, these forms appear worn, metallic, and subdued—echoing the weight of tradition and domestic expectation.
But within, they burst into candy-like, psychedelic interiors—revealing a hidden world of colour, desire, and youth.
These contrasting surfaces act as metaphors for how generations of women, often remembered only as wives, mothers, or grandmothers, concealed vivid inner lives beneath uniform roles. Zaat transforms these heirloom-inspired forms into vessels of material memory—preserving not just what was passed down, but what was never said.
The artwork forms part of the British Council's Best of British series, celebrating UK alumni who are shaping global cultural discourse. The Study UK: Creative Connections II programme highlights the international impact of UK education in fostering artistic innovation and cross-cultural dialogue.
Follow more information on
Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here
. Get
real-time live updates
on rescue operations and check
full list of passengers onboard AI 171
.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India.com
27 minutes ago
- India.com
71st National Film Awards 2025 LIVE: Jury submits list of awardees, winners to be announced soon
The 71st National Film Awards ceremony took place on August 1, 2025. The award honours and celebrates the best of Indian cinema by acknowledging exceptional achievements across categories such as acting, direction, music, and production. Earlier in the day, the jury submitted its final report to Union Information & Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Minister of State Dr. L. Murugan at 4 PM. This was followed by a press briefing at 6 PM at the National Media Centre in New Delhi, where the jury members began announcing the winners across various categories.
Time of India
36 minutes ago
- Time of India
NYT Strands today: Clues, answers, Spangram for August 1, 2025
NYT Strands hints, spangram, answers NYT Strands August 1, 2025: The New York Times published its inaugural crossword puzzle on February 15, 1942, in the Sunday Magazine. Created by Charles Erlenkotter and edited by Margaret Farrar, it was the first major newspaper to feature a crossword puzzle. Over the years, the NYT has introduced several beloved games, including the Mini Crossword in 2014, followed by Spelling Bee, Letter Boxed, and Tiles. In 2022, the NYT launched the wildly popular Wordle, followed by additional games like Connections and Strands. NYT Strands is the latest addition to its puzzle offerings. This engaging daily game presents players with new themes each day, challenging them to uncover all the words on the grid. One of the game's highlights is the special Spangram, which stretches across two sides of the board. With its innovative approach to word puzzles, Strands quickly became a fan favourite, adding to the diverse and exciting puzzle lineup of the New York Times. NYT Strands August 1, 2025 – Hints, answers, Spangram Having trouble solving today's NYT Strands puzzle? We're here to help with some easy hints to fuel your curiosity even more. Plus, we've got today's answer waiting for you – just keep reading. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Netherlands: New Container Houses (Prices May Surprise You) Container House Search Now Undo Today's NYT Strands puzzle theme The theme for today's Strands is "Slithering away" Hints for today's Strands Below, we've shared the hints, answers, and Spangram for today's NYT Strands puzzle. The hints may give away part or all of the Strands, so proceed with caution. Scroll down to continue: Hints Hint #1: A fast-moving, highly venomous snake native to Africa. Hint #2: A thick-bodied North American snake known for the rattling sound its tail makes. NYT Strands August 1, 2025 – Hints, answers, Spangram Spangram for today Serpent is the Spangram for today's NYT Strands puzzle. Today's Strands' answers: VIPER PYTHON ADDER MAMBA COBRA ANACONDA RATTLER What are NYT Strands and how to play the game? Strands is a puzzle game that blends elements of Connections, Spelling Bee, and classic crossword puzzles. Players are given 48 letters arranged on a 6 x 8-inch grid, along with a daily theme. The goal is to solve the Spangram and uncover all the theme-related words. To play, connect letters on the grid to form words by dragging your mouse or fingers (on a touchscreen) in horizontal, vertical, or diagonal directions. Start by identifying the central theme word or Spangram, which will help you understand the puzzle's theme. In addition to the Spangram, you must also find other words related to the theme hidden in the grid. Once you've uncovered them all, the puzzle is complete. Tips for solving NYT Strands puzzle Identify the theme words: Fill in the grid with the theme words. Once found, they will be highlighted in blue and won't overlap with each other. Find the Spangram: Identify the Spangram, a key part of the puzzle that connects two opposite sides of the grid. It encapsulates the theme and may consist of two words. The Spangram will be highlighted in yellow once you've located it. Take advantage of hints: Pay attention to off-topic words for clues. For every three non-theme words you uncover, letters will be highlighted to give you a hint toward finding a theme word, without directly revealing it. Also read | Blue Lock Rivals codes (July 2025) | Roblox Tennis Zero codes July 2025 AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
Time of India
40 minutes ago
- Time of India
This tiny bird makes music with its wings
Imagine a bird so unique, it doesn't sing with its beak, it plays a song with its wings. No, this isn't a fantasy novel or a Disney script. Meet the club-winged manakin, a real bird from the cloud forests of Colombia and Ecuador, that literally sings with its feathers. Using a built-in, violin-like mechanism in its wings, this tiny performer creates a high-pitched tone to woo potential mates. Scientists say it's the only known vertebrate to do this, making it one of nature's rarest musical marvels. Let's dive into how it works, why it evolved, and why this little bird is a big deal in the world of wildlife and sound. What makes the club-winged Manakin so special? At first glance, the club-winged manakin looks like any other tropical songbird. But here's the twist, it doesn't rely on its voice to attract a mate. Instead, the male produces a sharp, pure tone by rubbing two specialized wing feathers together, much like a cricket or grasshopper. This technique, called stridulation, is nearly unheard of in birds, especially in vertebrates. Every time the male rapidly shakes his wings, up to 107 times per second, he creates a continuous, flute-like note at around 1500 Hz. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Is this legal? Access all TV channels without a subscription! Techno Mag Learn More Undo It's musical, mechanical, and completely mesmerizing. How does the Manakin's wings produce music? The club-winged manakin's wing feathers are unlike any other bird's. One feather has a series of ridges, while the other has a stiff, curved tip. When rubbed together at high speed, the motion creates friction, causing the feathers to vibrate like strings on an instrument. These vibrations then emit sound, just like bowing a violin. Even more fascinating, the bird's wing bones are solid and dense, not hollow like typical birds, just to support this musical function. It's evolution trading flight for flair. Like many birds, male manakins put on a show to attract females. In the club-winged manakin's case, the song isn't sung, it's performed with his wings during elaborate mating dances known as lek displays. A group of males gather, each showcasing their unique rhythm and tone, hoping to catch a female's attention. This isn't just a party trick. The male's ability to perform this wing song is a result of sexual selection. Over generations, females preferred males who could produce strong, clear notes, even if it meant sacrificing their flying strength. The Manakin is evolution's bold trade-off: Flight vs music Here's the wild part. To develop this unique ability, the bird had to make a few sacrifices. Strong, dense bones for better sound mean less lift for flying. But clearly, the trade was worth it. The club-winged manakin is a perfect example of how evolution favours what works, even if it's weird. Where most birds need to soar, this one needs to sing with its body. And that's what makes it such a rare gem in the animal kingdom. The club-winged manakin is more than just a bird. It's a one-of-a-kind reminder that nature doesn't follow rules, it invents them. From solid bones to feathered instruments, this little creature rewrites how we think about sound, survival, and attraction in the wild. So the next time you hear a songbird, just remember: somewhere in the South American rainforest, there's a bird playing the violin with its wings and stealing hearts with every note. Also read| 10 wild animals that use their tails for hunting, climbing and more
