DEEPIKA NANDAN
2021 mentee
2022-2023 mentorship fellow
As a 2023 Mentorship Fellow, Deepika Nandan, created a project exploring the Valley of Flowers. Her work asked: Can art about native plants and ecosystems forge a sense of cultural identity and pride?
As a mentee in Creature Conserve’s first mentorship program, Deepika also compiled our Human-Elephant Coexistence resource page with the support and guidance of her mentor, Jeanne Dodds.
“I am working to learn, create artwork, and start conversations about native and endemic plants present in India, starting with Nandan Kanan or the Valley of Flowers. I plan to engage with communities to understand their con- nections with the valley, learn about the plants and their historic and cultural significance, archive fading traditions such as the flower festival, and facilitate community creation of artwork. I hope to create artwork about the valley through various lenses, one being the sharp contrast between the conservation status of protected areas and the ecosystems right outside this constructed boundary.”
DEEPIKA NANDAN is a mixed-media artist and maker of things. When she’s not outside collecting leaves, seeds, and other knick-knacks, she’s drawing them. Her fascination with the natural world began with observing ants as a young child. Now, she uses her art to communicate about the enchanting life around her. She hopes her curiosity is contagious and her work inspires sustainability and conservation. Deepika is also a stick-and-poke tattoo artist and enjoys giving people permanent body art inspired by nature. She loves poking snakes, crabs, bugs, flowers, and other patterns.
Bengaluru. INDIA
Instagram: @deepikanandan @dipandpoke
Website: deepikanandanbehance