FORGOT YOUR DETAILS?

NIDHI KHURANA, 'North Goa' (detail), 2017, mixed media on paper. Courtesy of ITERARTE & the artist

Nidhi Khurana (b. 1980, Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh) is an artist based in New Delhi with a profound interest in the interplay between nature and urban landscapes. Central to her practice are maps and the concept of mapping, exploring themes of navigation, displacement, both personally and for society at large. Khurana's art ranges from small-scale works on paper to large installations, incorporating found textiles and materials which add depth to her exploration of place and identity.

Traces of Existence: Places Between Places was Nidhi Khurana’s debut in the UK and ITERARTE’s inaugural exhibition (2024). Khurana has also shown in venues such as the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art, New Delhi, Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai, Westwerk, Hamburg. She has participated in several artist residencies abroad, at HBK Braunchweig, Germany and in Oaxaca, Mexico, as well as in India.

A Map Of Baroda
Nidhi Khurana, 'A Map of Baroda', 2022, silver on silk. Courtesy of ITERARTE & the artist
Nidhi Kurana, 'City', 2012, cloth and stitching. Courtesy of ITERARTE & the artist

THE CONFESSIONS QUESTIONNAIRE

What is your favourite dish?

I am very sensitive to smell and sound and I love food and cooking. I love trying and learning about local ingredients and their uses, and properties. I have been using quince in my cooking since I have been in Budapest. I have often had conversations with locals, at the fresh produce markets, wherever I am– on how to cook this or that.

Tea or coffee?

I drink one cup of tea every morning after breakfast and none after because of sensitivity to caffeine.

What is your favourite artwork?

Landscapes by Gustav Klimt and F. N. Souza, and the playful artwork of Dorothy Iannone.

Favourite movie?

I don’t like to watch many films and I read a lot, but I forget everything pretty soon. I make a lot of notes to remember and I like to have conversations with real people.

Favourite book or poem and why?

I like a lot of writing by Rebecca Solnit. Right now I am reading a book about how food can change the world called ‘Sitopia’ by Carolyn Steel. I am also reading a lot about maps and the history of Budapest and Hungary for my research here as I have access to a library spread across six floors. I am also reading Cosmos by Carl Sagan.

Your Life Motto or favourite quote?

One day at a time.

Can you describe your favourite building?

Architectural works of Hundertwasser.

Three unique things about where you live?

Delhi’s monuments and parks inspire me. I visit the Mehrauli archeological park quite often.

A piece of advice you’d give to your younger self.

I would like to tell my younger self to be more relaxed/less anxious.

Do you have a favourite colour?

My favourite colour changes from time to time.

Is your studio messy or tidy?

My studio is both messy and tidy, depending on what I am working on.

Why did you become an artist?

I became an artist because I never wanted to be anything else.

What is the most challenging or exciting thing about being an artist?

The most challenging thing is to bring an idea to life in the way I see it in my mind. I follow my heart, I explore the things that interest me, I talk to people, I go for walks… and it comes.

Craziest artistic experiment you've tried.

I am constantly experimenting and trying to push my boundaries.

Most memorable artistic achievement.

My most memorable artistic achievement has yet to happen.

Dream collaboration (with someone dead or alive)

I love to collaborate, so it will be with more than one person.

If you could exhibit anywhere, where would it be?

I would like to exhibit at the Schaulager in Basel, Switzerland.

CAMERA ROLL

SZENTENDRE
HOME IN DELHI

INSPIRATIONAL MUSIC

I like to work in total silence which is hard to come by in a place like Delhi but I do like all kinds of music. It is difficult to provide one playlist. I have one titled “trippy”, one called “Sufi” and another called “Hindi favourite “.

Even in these I constantly juggle. Add, remove and create smaller playlists like I have one for Budapest.

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