The Learning Curve: Simran Dahiya
Tell us a bit about yourself:
I’m a 22 year old university student studying Medicine and Arts at UNSW. I’ve been drawn to creative practices for most of my life, however, I’ve only just begun my sculpting journey. I’m particularly interested in the topography of the human body and questions of bodily aesthetics.
How long have you been attending classes at Tom Bass Sculpture Studio School?
I've been a student at TBSSS since Term 4 2020.
What do you do when you’re not sculpting?
Apart from being an amateur sculptor, I'm also a student at the Project Snail pottery studio in Newtown. As part of my Arts degree, I'm learning how to make a short film (which will teach me how to work in other media such as sound and video that I will eventually be able to incorporate into my sculpture practice). I’m also studying theory exploring sexuality in contemporary art, dabbling in new fitness avenues (such as martial arts and trapeze classes) and learning how to cook! Generally, apart from my university education, I'm trying to pursue a whole range of skills and hobbies to make the most of the time I have before joining the hospital system!
What made you take up sculpting?
Not to be tragically cliché, but honestly, I first fell in love with sculpting when I visited Musée Rodin in Paris in 2019. I was mesmerised by the manipulation of form and material to capture the intricacies of human life and emotion. Fascination with the human body and thought has never been new to me, it's one of the main reasons I'm pursuing a career in Medicine. However, I've never thought to combine that passion with the creative release of art. I initially thought I'd do a course with this studio, just to experience the practice. But the second I touched the studio's clay (holding the ghosts of sculptures past), I knew I would be doing this for the rest of my life!
What is your favourite sculpture medium to work in?
At the moment, I’m still quite new to my sculpting practice and am most comfortable working with clay. However, I’ve started to experiment with other materials such as soapstone and hopefully, with more experience, I will be able to better answer this question in the future.
What inspires your practice?
I'm often drawn to socially engaged performance art. For that reason, most of the works I've created respond to a thread of political discourse that intrigues me. For instance, the first two works I've ever made were inspired by feminist dissent and the piece I plan to begin soon will reflect on the diasporic position of South-Asian women in the Western world. I'm trying to teach my mind to approach my practice more freely and abstractly, but I always seem to be pulled back to some level of commentary!
Tell us about what you’re working on currently…
I'm currently in the process of working on a piece called 'The Devil is Woman.' It involves the reclaiming of female sexual energy in a dynamic piece that incorporates elements of traditional demonic imagery.
Will you be able to continue to make sculpture at home during lockdown?
Yes! I’m attempting to make a bust at the moment. It’s been challenging - I stupidly used my only water bottle as an armature to stabilise the neck - but I’m excited to see how my iso sculpture will challenge me creatively.
Who are your favourite artists / sculptors?
I don't think I can answer this question yet, I'm still learning what my taste is. Recently, however, I've been inspired by the collection of sculptures 'Painting Machines' (2019-ongoing) by the artistic duo Lolo & Sosaku.