The Open Studio / Prasuna Akundi
Prasuna Akundi
Untitled
Raw cotton holds love, anger and pain in red
A long sheet of cotton falls from the ceiling and lies down on the floor.
Light passes through its open web like light through a net.
Its shadow climbs the grey wall behind it.
Red letters run down the centre, one under another.
Small red marks spread to the edges like dye in water.
Something soft is holding its own weight.
The work
Prasuna Akundi of JNAFAU in Hyderabad makes this tall hanging from raw cotton pulp and cotton threads. Akundi's bond with cotton began in childhood. Akundi's mother made cotton wicks for pooja and Akundi sometimes helped. Here the cotton keeps its natural white. Red marks carry love, anger, pain and strength. The material is hard to control. It can tear, bend or change shape as it dries. Akundi lets these changes become part of the work. The piece continues the project Flow of Change.
In the artist’s words
“My relationship with cotton began in childhood, when I helped my mother make cotton wicks for pooja. I keep the natural white colour of cotton and use red to express love, anger, pain and strength. Cotton does not always behave as I expect. Learning to work with these changes instead of controlling them has become part of my process.”
- Theme
- Emotion and inner strength
- Material
- Raw cotton pulp and cotton threads
- Size
- 225 × 46 × 1 cm
- Year
- 2025
- Edition
- This installation is made from raw cotton pulp and cotton threads, using a 6-metre saree as the base. It is a hanging installation and is designed specifically for indoor display. The work is flexible and foldable, which makes it easier to install and transport. It is not suitable for outdoor display because direct sunlight, high temperatures, and rain can damage the natural cotton materials. This work is part of a series of works exploring the transformation of cotton through material, form, and installation.
- Framed
- No
- About the artist
- JNAFAU
- From
- Hyderabad
- Code
- RC-3815