Native / നാട് brings together the practices of Santhi E.N., Smitha G.S. and Priti Vadakkath, three women artists from Kerala who have participated in previous editions of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale. Reflecting Muziris Contemporary’s continued engagement with underrepresented voices and narrative-driven contemporary practices from South Asia, the exhibition explores the relationship between nature, memory, nostalgia and belonging.
Santhi E.N’s paintings return to childhood with tenderness, using soft purples and whites to evoke scenes suspended between memory and reality. Smitha G.S’s fantastical realism, shaped by close observation and an embodied relationship with land and memory, uses emotionally charged reds and blues to explore the coexistence of human and non-human worlds. Priti Vadakkath’s large-format studies captures the expansive shola grasslands, creating an intimate dialogue with the land that brings its textures, atmosphere and gentle breeze almost within reach.
Through their distinct artistic approaches, the artists consider how our sense of place is shaped by its landscapes, everyday rhythms, cultural expressions and material traditions, as well as the personal histories we carry with us. Together, their works offer nuanced perspectives on south of South Asia's diverse cultural identities, examining how connections evolve through lived experiences, recollections and changing interpretations of home and one’s native place.
