Lecture: Suchitra Mattai (Webinar)

Suchitra Mattai, A topography of dreams, 2021. Vintage saris, animations, fabric, fringe, tassels, and acrylic, dimensions variable.

Suchitra Mattai is a multi-disciplinary artist of Indo-Caribbean descent. Her work explores how memory allows us to unravel and re-imagine historical narratives. She says, “My primary pursuit is to give voice to people whose voices were once quieted.  Using both my own family’s ocean migrations and research on the period of colonial indentured labor during the 19th Century, I seek to expand our sense of “history.” Re-writing this colonial history contributes to contemporary dialogue by making visible the struggles and perseverance of those who lived it.”

Mattai’s projects have included a commission for the Sharjah Biennial 14, “State of the Art 2020” at Crystal Bridges Museum/the Momentary, a Denver Art Museum and the Biennial of the Americas jointly sponsored installation, a commission for the MCA’s Octopus Initiative, solo exhibitions at the Boise Art Museum of Art (2021), K Contemporary Art (2020), Unit London (2022), Hollis Taggart NYC (2022), and the Center for Visual Arts, Metropolitan State University of Denver (2018) and group exhibitions at Kavi Gupta Gallery (2021), Aicon Gallery (2021), Unit London ( 2021), Pen and Brush NYC (2019), and the San Antonio Museum of Art (2021).