Tanya Sharma is a visual artist originally from Udaipur, Rajasthan, who now lives and works in Vadodara. The artist tends to create abstract sculptures and figures with an interplay between personal connection to space, lived experiences and the influence of the natural world.

The installation “To Belong” is a ceramics installation. The work explores the construction of a self-defined reality and delves into the interplay between personal connection to space, the influence of the natural world and the desire to create a world where the feeling of presence is more tangible than conventional reality. She noted that her initial engagement with space and its elements stemmed from personal experiences and the memories they hold.

The personal significance of the work is profound: the artist writes about constantly trying to fit into boundaries they were never meant to fit in and how she always lacked a sense of belonging due to observed division and authority in the world. Coming to terms with her identity caused her to grow further apart, and all she desired was a place to belong. The creation of art became the only thing that made sense, liberating her to create a surreal world where she could find herself in the most uninhibited and authentic self, trying to define the undefined.