Bio
Vridhhi C. (b. Delhi) is a Toronto-based performance artist. With an MFA in Interdisciplinary Arts from OCAD University, she is also a self-taught painter who draws inspiration from dreams and personal narratives. Her work involves ritualistic repetition and mark-making, exploring the relationship between tangible materials and metaphorical expressions.
Artist Statement
In my performative work and paintings, I navigate the labyrinth of personal experiences and memories, unraveling the intricate tapestry of emotions—trauma, melancholy, and isolation—that often linger in the shadows of secrecy.
In the alchemy of my creative process, I transmute these memories into a form of self-healing, extending that healing touch to a community of survivors who may feel unseen. As I traverse the realms of grief, my dreams become guiding stars, and I interpret their landscapes through the lens of Jung's profound wisdom.
Beyond surface distractions, my work strives to unearth the potential for growth and healing, employing a multifaceted approach encompassing writing, painting, installation, and performance. Shadows, serving as a metaphor for the repressed facets of our lives, dance within the narratives I weave. In an attempt to make meaning of my traumatic experiences, I focus my center on post-traumatic growth.
Situated at the crossroads of psychology, sociology, and magic realism, my art embraces Bourriaud's theory of Relational Aesthetics. I invite viewers not just to observe but to actively participate in the creative process, sparking conversations about these socially deemed unacceptable emotions.
In a world where stigma surrounds such emotions, my art carries a torch, advocating for the acknowledgment of our bodies' innate capacity to bloom even in the gloom
Education
MFA in Interdisciplinary Arts, Media & Design
OCAD University, Toronto, ON | 2022
B.Des in Visual Communication
Srishti School of Art & Design, Bangalore, India | 2017
Professional Experience
Guest Lecturer & Research Assistant
OCAD University, Toronto, ON | 2024–Present
Program Creative Design & Youth Facilitator
Canvas Arts Action Programs, Toronto, ON | 2023–Present
Performances
2025
- (upcoming) my hands remember what her's once knew, Art Manzil, Toronto, ON
- The i in the identity starts with u, LongWinter, Toronto, ON
- ground, echo, catalysis, Method, Delhi, India
2024
- trawl, press, transmogrify, Method Kala Ghoda, Mumbai, India
- Silent Echoes of Salient Sores, Gibraltar Point, Toronto, ON
- mogu-ai-mogu feminism, Performance with Ayumi Goto, Tokyo, Japan
- Prickly Paradigm, Rhubarb Festival, Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, Toronto, ON
2023
- cut me cactus, IGNITE Gallery, Toronto, ON
2022
- unwrapping the unhappy, Nuit Blanche, Toronto, ON
- sister sister , The Public, Toronto, ON
- Fragments of an inner child, Graduate Gallery, Toronto, ON
Selected Shows
2025
- Interwoven Identities, Asian Art & Culture Trust, Toronto, ON
- Letters to Future Love, The Homegrown Festival, Mumbai, India
2024
- Expression of Critical Thought, Aurora Cultural Centre, Aurora, ON
- Moody Men, Luminato Festival, Toronto, ON
2023
- PastForward, IGNITE Gallery, Toronto, ON
- Object, Materiality, Experience, Etobicoke Civic Centre Art Gallery, Toronto, ON
2022
- No. 9 Gardens Eco Art Exhibition, Kingston, ON
- Unlearning an uninvited sensory language, Graduate Gallery, Toronto, ON
- Translations of a Hermit, Indian International Centre, Delhi, India
Residencies
2024
- Chandraangan Artist Residency, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India
- K'inādās Artist Collective, Gibraltar Point, Toronto, ON
2022
- No. 9 Gardens, Kingston, ON
Lectures & Conferences
2024
- Beyond the Surface: Exploring Design Methodologies, IAMD OCAD U, Toronto, ON
- Queer Grievance: Acts of Griefing in Post-Disciplinary Practice (Chair: Morris Fox), Universities Art Association of Canada (UAAC), Western University, London, ON
Awards & Grants
2022
- ArtReach CUE Art Projects Grant
- ArtworxTO Spotlight, RBC Emerging Artists Project
- The Dean’s Scholarship, OCAD University
- The Future Systems Scholarship, OCAD University