Born in New Delhi, India, Devishi Seth reflects on the intersection of the contemporary world and her ancestral past. Devoted to female divinity as her name signifies, she explores her feminine, cultural and historical heritage through clay, bronze, and painting, aiming to reconstruct lost practices and knowledge systems. Devishi completed her BFA at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) and is now based in New York City. She received the NCECA Regina Brown Undergraduate Fellowship in 2023 and has showcased her work in spaces across the US and India. Devishi has attended residencies in the US and India and been awarded fellowships for residencies from the Penland School of Craft, Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts and Haystack School of Craft. 

Can you tell us about your background and how you started your artistic journey?

I grew up watching my mother create glass paintings in her free time, and our home was filled with her work. The process of making art fascinated me from a young age, and as I grew older, I found myself far more drawn to my studio classes than my academic ones. My formal artistic journey began during my BFA at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Moving from India to the United States exposed me to entirely new ways of thinking about and approaching art, which fundamentally shaped the development of my practice.

What are the main themes or concepts you explore in your work?

My practice is rooted in the confluence of my Indian heritage, feminine identity, and the interconnectedness of our natural world. I seek to honor Indigenous knowledge systems and ancestral principles of nurturing nature—values encapsulated in the philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, “the world is one family.” Growing up as a woman in India has profoundly shaped my worldview, motivating me to revisit historical cultural narratives and contribute to the ongoing movement to uplift Indian women.

Central to my process is the belief that art should serve the community, weaving shared philosophies into collective expression. My work is also guided by the principle Yatha Pinde Tatha Brahmande—“as is the microcosm, so is the macrocosm.” I sign my pieces as Devi, the Sanskrit word for “goddess,” to acknowledge that I am not the sole creator, but a vessel shaped by interconnected lineages, memories, and energies across time. My practice is an homage to the sacred, the feminine, and the earth.

Are there any particular mediums you prefer working with? Why?

My primary mediums are clay, painting, and bronze. Each material carries deep ancestral resonance and is tied to ritualistic practices across civilizations. I am drawn to their spiritual and historical significance. The sculptures within Dharmic temples informs the stylization of my female forms.

Clay, embodying the five elements of air, water, fire, earth, and spirit, becomes a metaphor for the vast dimensions of womanhood. Painting, one of humanity’s oldest forms of expression, draws from natural pigments and allows me to bridge traditional Indian methods with contemporary interpretations of the female form. Bronze, with its alchemical transition from liquid to solid and its ever-changing patina, mirrors the endurance, resilience, and fluidity of the feminine. Engaging with these materials enables me to participate in the cyclical exchange between creation and dissolution—receiving from the earth and giving back to it.

How do you stay inspired and motivated to create new work?

My early inspirations came from conversations with others and observing how society continuously evolves. As my practice has deepened, my inspirations have expanded. Visiting pre-colonial temples in South and Southeast Asia has become central to my research. The forms carved into stone, the narratives embedded in architecture, and the histories that were never taught to us reveal a wealth of cultural knowledge, especially about how women existed freely and powerfully in earlier societies.

These experiences continually inform my understanding of my heritage and fuel my drive to create. They motivate me to share these discoveries with others through my work and to contribute to the preservation and reinterpretation of these histories.

What role do you believe art plays in social and cultural change?

Art is foundational to social and cultural transformation. It is a carrier of memory, identity, and history. Written records can be incomplete or biased, but art preserves truths that transcend language and time. It reveals social, emotional, and cultural realities that often exist beyond documentation.

Art shapes how we understand the world and ourselves. In an era defined by rapid technological shifts, art has become even more important, offering a space for reflection, imagination, and connection. As more people engage with creative practices, artistic expression becomes a powerful tool for empathy, dialogue, and reimagining collective futures.

What do you hope people take away from your art when they experience it?

I hope viewers experience a sense of belonging when they encounter my work. Rooted in a deep desire to reconnect with the feminine divine within all of us, my sculptures invite people to engage with their own inner energy and ancestral memory. I also hope that the materiality and structure of the forms evoke a sense of curiosity and introspection. As a ceramic and metal sculptor, the physicality of these materials is integral to my process, and I hope that their presence in the work resonates with viewers on both a tactile and spiritual level.

Text & photo courtesy of Devishi Seth

Website: https://devishiseth.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/devishi.seth/