Graduation project
In Search of the Mountain
Deepali Pahwa
A sculpture based on the journey of a rock in Gurugram, India, reflects on the destruction that comes together with progress.
The Aravalli mountain range in India is rapidly disappearing due to urbanization and unauthorized mining. Deepali Pahwa positions herself between the vanishing mountains and the emerging cityscape of Gurugram, her hometown, to explore the inherent violence in urban development. Clay and plaster are vital elements in her contemplative practice. Clay triggers intuitive remembrance, while plaster preserves those memories. The result is a column where destruction and construction engage in an ongoing dialogue, transcending time. This decontextualized landscape invites collective reflection on the constant cycle of destruction that accompanies progress.