We are constantly surrounded by objects, by ‘things’ that channel and dictate our everyday life, ‘things’ that we take for granted. But these objects have a story to tell that reflects our values and aspirations, our achiveements and dreams, and reveal more about us than we realise. At our Online Talk #MaterialCulture, art scholar Vidya Dehejia focuses on a variety of objects to tell a story of India, and through the objects, sheds light on the varying priorities and the differing strands of achievement that arose over time to create the rich multi-cultural medley that is today’s India.

About the speaker

Vidya Dehejia is the Barbara Stole Miller Professor of Indian and South Asian Art at Columbia University in NewYork. Over the past forty years, she has combined research with teaching and exhibition-related activities around the world. She is the author of several books, the latest being ‘India - A Story Through 100 Objects’. She was conferred the Padma Bhushan in 2012 for her contribution to Art and Education.