About India Collins
India Collins is a contemporary artist and designer based in Far North Queensland. Born and raised in Canada, India studied Fine Arts and Art History in Montreal, Quebec. Her practice spans a variety of disciplines including textiles, sculpture and painting. India’s primary arts practice is in the discipline of textile design, textile manipulation and different weaving processes. Much of her work is centered around narratives that are intrinsically connected to the materials being used in the production process taking into consideration personal histories, sharing of knowledge and story-telling. While the innovation and use of textiles has evolved historically over thousands of years, India is particularly intrigued by their versatility, and ability to be both functional and decorative, industrial and domestic. In the process of creating new work, she thrives to reinterpret these materials into new contemporary and social contexts. Through the creation of her large scale immersive works, India addresses concepts which challenge the collective consciousness around issues relating to personal identity, positionality, gender, sexuality, environment and other social constructs. Many of these narratives are thrashed out during the process of making. India is interested in how people engage with space by creating work that challenges the viewers perception of how space impacts on their state of mind and social & emotional well-being. Fabricating immersive environments that are colourful and textural is a catalyst for re-engaging people in unexpected ways and encourages the viewer to stay present and connected within that space. Many of her installations incorporate sound, light and movement which enables a deeper engagement between the viewer and the work. Her audience is left to navigate what becomes a sensory landscape. As many of India’s works are large in scale she tries to ensure that she uses recycled materials wherever possible and that she sources materials ethically so that the environmental impact in the creation of her work is minimal.
2022 SWELL ARTWORK – Jellyfish Journey, India Collins
This cluster of 10 individual works is a tribute to the mysterious and other worldly creature of the sea, the magnificent Jellyfish – mesmerising to watch as they gently pulse and gracefully drift through the water, carrying their tentacles behind them. India’s work explores the power of vulnerability, the precariousness and preciousness of life and celebrates the unimaginable discoveries we make along the way.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/india_collins/
Facebook: @India Collins
Come and see for yourself at SWELL Sculpture Festival, Pacific Parade, Currumbin 9-18 September.