Vrinda Seksaria founded Metis in 2019. Vrinda graduated from the Faculty of Architecture, CEPT; was an Erasmus student at ETH, Zurich, did a PG Diploma in Indian Aesthetics from Philosophy Dept of Mumbai University, an MA Photography and Urban Cultures from Sociology Dept of Goldsmiths, University of London and a Fellowship at KRVIA, Mumbai. With over 10 years of architectural experience at leading design firms in Mumbai like Bijoy Jain + Associates, Rajiv Saini + Associates, Serie Architects, ANL Associates and Studio Mumbai; Vrinda simultaneously works with Alternative Photographic processes. Her work explores links between architecture, urban studies, sociocultural theory and photographic practice with a focus on cultural archaeology of urban space and the politics of architectural memory, materiality, construction and decay. Vrinda set up a dimroom for alternative photo-printing at Kala Ghoda, Mumbai in 2012 and her architectural studio in Khar West, Mumbai in 2019. A member of the International Urban Photographers Association (UPA), she has exhibited her photographic work as part of group shows in Mumbai, London, Bogota, and Portugal. Vrinda has been a visiting faculty at various architectural colleges and is currently associated with Sir JJ CoA.
Vrinda Seksaria founded Metis in 2019. Vrinda graduated from the Faculty of Architecture, CEPT; was an Erasmus student at ETH, Zurich, did a PG Diploma in Indian Aesthetics from Philosophy Dept of Mumbai University, an MA Photography and Urban Cultures from Sociology Dept of Goldsmiths, University of London and a Fellowship at KRVIA, Mumbai. With over 10 years of architectural experience at leading design firms in Mumbai like Bijoy Jain + Associates, Rajiv Saini + Associates, Serie Architects, ANL Associates and Studio Mumbai; Vrinda simultaneously works with Alternative Photographic processes. Her work explores links between architecture, urban studies, sociocultural theory and photographic practice with a focus on cultural archaeology of urban space and the politics of architectural memory, materiality, construction and decay. Vrinda set up a dimroom for alternative photo-printing at Kala Ghoda, Mumbai in 2012 and her architectural studio in Khar West, Mumbai in 2019. A member of the International Urban Photographers Association (UPA), she has exhibited her photographic work as part of group shows in Mumbai, London, Bogota, and Portugal. Vrinda has been a visiting faculty at various architectural colleges and is currently associated with Sir JJ CoA.
The project aims to reconfigure geopolitical and perceptual links between two cities: Mumbai and London. As a result, the artworks investigate how temporary and permanent architecture: the evolving skin that covers cities generates co-production and dialogue through image making. The installation aims to present new cultural exchanges and ocular blueprints affected by the atmospheric, environmental and colonial residue of urban life across continents.
Thus, the reproduction of buildings on existing city sites links the colonisation of India with British financial, corporate control and urbanisation. These architectural sites connect geographically through shared social and cultural histories yet are influenced by contemporary Global economic and climatic conditions. For these reasons, structural intersections between British colonial corporate history in the City of London and spatial infrastructures and material cultures in India are revealed and explored in the project.
In addition, climate and precipitation are significant elements in producing Global collaboration between the artists. The environmental conditions and polluted materials in the two cities: rainwater, tannins, analogue reproductive technology are combined with digital image making and historical printmaking techniques to produce shared concepts and materials.
These resources are used to compose, form and influence the evolution of the printmaking, and as the prints develop overtime their tonal appearance reacts to UV light, rainwater, tannins and oxidation in the sites where they were made and exhibited. Creating new spatial conditions to portray a segment of the historical and geographical residue of empire that still exists in the social and cultural values of India and the United Kingdom.