Lavanya Thakur

Jméno
Lavanya Thakur

Země
Indie

Absolvovaný ateliér
Ateliér volného umění II

Diplomová práce
Embodied Mysticism: Whispers of Self
My diploma work explores the fluidity and contradictions of identity through layered, dense paintings that hold space for what cannot be easily digested — emotionally, culturally, and politically. When I moved to Europe, I developed acid reflux; the food that once nourished my body and soul began to make me ill. This experience became a metaphor and method: my work resists being metabolized, returning in unresolved, recursive surfaces. Using painting, collage, photo transfer, and installation, I weave together personal memory, mysticism, institutional critique, and satire to create visual worlds that are beautiful, absurd, and unsettling.


Co mi škola dala?
There were some experiences in my studio during my first year that deeply affected how I see myself as an artist. Some interactions felt very direct and at times dismissive towards my practice, which left me unsettled. However, those challenges also became a catalyst for me to articulate my work more clearly and to reclaim my own voice.
At UMPRUM I found the freedom to experiment and deepen my language as a painter. The dialogue with my professors, peers, and the rich cultural atmosphere here challenged me to confront my own assumptions and make my work more rigorous and self-aware. Being here also taught me to slow down — to trust the process, to embrace contradiction, and to honor the labor of making.


Co chci v budoucnu dělat
I want to continue expanding my visual language — creating paintings and installations that hold space for what is unreadable, sacred, or resistant. I also hope to collaborate with other artists and thinkers to explore how slowness, mysticism, and satire can interrupt systems of control. Eventually, I would like to teach and share this approach with others, while keeping my own practice deeply personal and evolving.

 

Lavanya Thakur

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