"Initiating a unique collaboration between indigenous cultures, Tandel spent forty days on a self-motivated residence at Bhupen Baghel’s workshop in Bastar, Chattisgarh. Bhupen and his father, virtuoso Jaidev Baghel, come from a lineage of Dokra metal craft artists practicing the ancient lost-wax metal casting technique. In line with Tandel’s interest in archiving through motifs embedded in everyday life, he derived the forms for these works from the bones of the Kotya fish, frequently eaten in the Chendani Koliwada. Visibility of the process, and the materials used within it, have been integral to the artist's vision for the series, and Tandel insisted on retaining parts of the otherwise discarded outer mould. Termite mounds, from where the clay used for the mould comes from, are an essential part of the forest ecosystem, acting as a barrier against the spread of wildfires. This presence on the pieces speaks to the notion of conservation, of habitats and indigenous wisdoms, of symbiotic relations between species. In this meeting of the Kotya fish bone with contoured brass, and the termite clay we witness a pivotal moment in the trajectory of indigenous art in India, the alchemy produced from the convergence of Koli and Dogra cultures, of coastal waters and plateau soils."

Shaunak Mahbubani, curator Archipelagic Archivist, 2023