Dream Time
Pallavi Sen
4.23 — 6.09
In her exhibition Dream Time, Pallavi Sen delves into the translation and interpretation of dreams - literal ones seen when asleep, and visions for future work - through her watercolors. A central theme in Pallavi’s practice is the use of painting as a dynamic vehicle to envision sculptural forms, objects, and architectural elements. These watercolors serve dual purposes: as blueprints for future installations, and gardens, and as tributes to the craft traditions that have shaped her. The Indian concept and Hindi word ‘kalā ‘— the 64 fine arts that range from combing one’s hair to knowing how to cover a bed — influence how she lives, extending her practice to the activities and needs of daily life, the objects she lives with, and new scenes (often paintings) made by hand.
Towards the beginning of the pandemic, Pallavi began gardening. In a popular meme she saw around that time, featuring the late rapper DMX amidst orchids, she was reminded of the simple activities that support lushness, richness: time, and attention. In an era marked by ecological challenges, gardens serve as sanctuaries of growth and connection. Pallavi’s experiences cultivating wildflower meadows and vegetable gardens in Western Massachusetts have enriched her understanding of this bond and led to bodies of work that include harvest collages, garden installations, and sculptures that support vining plants. These pieces explore the rhythms of nature, the joys of harvest, and the shared moments of wonder that arise from nurturing living things.
Through her work, Pallavi outlines a deeper appreciation for the world around us, encouraging viewers (but mainly herself) to embrace the loveliness of each day and the transformative, calming power of creativity, care, and attention.
Pallavi Sen (1989) is from Bombay, India. She works with installation, printmaking, textiles, and intuitive, musical movement. Current interests include planting gardens and meadows, the inner lives of birds and animals, the grief of the Anthropocene, South Asian costumes, domestic architecture, altars, atheism and magical thinking, pattern histories, friendship + love, past/present/future lover, workspaces, work tables, eco-feminism, love poems, the gates to Indian homes, walking, seeds, and what comes of twice daily cooking.
An alumna of St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai, she received her MFA in Sculpture + Extended Media from the Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, and a BFA from the Columbus College of Art & Design, Columbus, Ohio. She is the Assistant Professor of Multiples + Distributed Art at Williams College in Massachusetts and Dean at the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture in Maine. She has been an artist-in-residence at MacDowell, the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, PICA’s Creative Exchange Lab, Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, Shandaken Projects, Mildred’s Lane, Ox-Bow, ACRE, and the Yale Norfolk School of Art, among others.
Pallavi Sen: Dream Time will remain on view through June 8th, 2024, in Gallery A. Gallery hours are Thursday through Saturday from 5 pm until 8 pm. Please feel free to contact the gallery for any additional information at noplacecolumbus@gmail.com
Pallavi Sen (1989) is from Bombay, India. She works with installation, printmaking, textiles, and intuitive, musical movement. Current interests include planting gardens and meadows, the inner lives of birds and animals, the grief of the Anthropocene, South Asian costumes, domestic architecture, altars, atheism and magical thinking, pattern histories, friendship + love, past/present/future lover, workspaces, work tables, eco-feminism, love poems, the gates to Indian homes, walking, seeds, and what comes of twice daily cooking.