As an independent adult being aware of the kitchen and its processes is a part of adulting. Rajvi’s work brings to mind the ubiquitous thali or the age-old appe/paniyaram pan that allows for food to be served and cooked individually. Her take on these divided utensils could also be seen as a version of the memory box, each section holding within it, a memento, a remnant of a life well lived. Moulded in clay and left unfired, the circular shelf-like structures, mimic the pattern of the roads around homes she lives/lived in. Each created section holds a coded object: the stamp that went on her marriage certificate, the shells from a special vacation, a frog from a trip to the Mecca of pottery: Pondicherry; each has a story to tell. These two shelves function as an album of her adult years, each cubby hole filled with possibilities for the future.
Memory Maze, 2020.
Unfired clay shelf with mixed media.
Rajvi Mehta
The creator
An NID-trained textile designer, Rajvi recently switched over to the production of ceramics. Her practice is heavily invested in delving into the history of a material or technique, embarking on a journey of discovery with each project. This research based practice plays well with her current medium, allowing Rajvi to explore traditional making techniques especially from Japan. She draws on over a decade of experience with textile and its production to sculpt and create incredibly tactile, startlingly elegant ceramic pieces. Still learning the ropes of her new path, Rajvi is revelling in the new found freedom clay affords.