Atul Dodiya’s practice focuses on a serious reflection on the social and political issues in India. The Mumbai-based artist sees himself as part of the social fibre and an agent for change.

 

Dodiya’s artworks spans a number of mediums, including paintings, works on paper, sculptures, and street art. His work is heavily influenced by the diversity of the city of Mumbai, as well as Indian folklore, history, and popular culture. At STPI, his residency saw him embracing the potential of paper as a medium as he experimented with the material.
The subject of Dodiya’s residency was the exploration of Sabari, a female character from the classical Hindu epic poems Ramayana. In the legend, Sabari is a devoted elderly woman who fervently awaits the arrival of Lord Rama and eventually receives his blessings. Dodiya was interested in exploring what she may have been like as a young woman––something the Indian story rarely touches on. His exploration takes him back into India’s history and delves into nature, taking into careful consideration Sabari’s respect for nature and wildlife. Through this body of work, he hopes to communicate Sabari’s dedication and restore some of the respect for our natural world that humans may have lost.