Jayita Barai Indian, b. 1995
"I received The Space118 Fine Art Grant at an important stage of my practice. It gave me the freedom to think more ambitiously, experiment with scale, and deepen my engagement with materials and process. The grant did not only support production financially, but also encouraged reflection, dialogue, and mentorship. For future applicants, I would say it is a valuable opportunity to expand both your artistic vision and the way you approach your work."
Jayita Barai (b.1995, Delhi, India) received a BFA in Painting, College of Art, New Delhi (2017); and MFA, Sarojini Naidu School of Arts and Communication, University of Hyderabad (2019).
Her works have been exhibited in several group shows at Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum, Mumbai (2024); CIMA Awards group show (2022); Jehangir Nicholson Art Foundation, Mumbai (2021); ONKAF Gallery, Hamburg (2019) and Shrishti Art Gallery, Hyderabad (2019) among others. She has been awarded with the Prafulla Dahanukar National Merit Award, Tapestry category (2024) and the CCRT Junior Fellowship, Ministry of Culture, Government of India (2019). Her artist residencies include Art for Change India Residency, Kohima, Nagaland (2022); National Art Camp, Trivandrum School of Fine Arts, and Nagpur Art Camp, India (2017).
Barai’s practice explores themes of displacement, ecology, and shifting notions of home through drawing, sculpture, and installations using coir rope and foraged materials. Inspired by concepts like “Ma” and “Shunyata,” her cocoon-like forms and knotting techniques embody memory, migration, and the interconnectedness of humans and nature.
Jayita lives and works in Delhi, India.
Mentor:
Manisha Parekh
Proposed Projects:
Cocooned Dreams and Torned Reality and Assemblage
Project Overview:
Through her projects, Jayita explored and displayed the unwinding themes of displacement, ecology and notions of home with her knotted cocoon-like artworks.
