Sid Pattni (b. 1986) is an Australian artist of Indian descent who unpacks the intricacies of identity, culture, and belonging within a post-colonial framework. Working primarily in painting and embroidery, Sid aims to contribute to the ongoing discourse surrounding art and its role in communicating the complexities of diasporic identity. He has participated in numerous group exhibitions, including the Emerging Exploration Exhibition in 2024, Nadiya 2023, & All The Rage 2023, and held several solo exhibitions. He was awarded the Kennedy Prize in 2023, Khōj Cross-Hatchings Residency (New Delhi) in 2024, and was the recipient of the Minderoo Artist Fund Grant in 2022. Sid was invited to speak at TEDx in 2021. His work is held in private collections across Australia.
Shalini Passi: How was it growing up as an immigrant in Kenya, and later in Australia? What inspired you to become an artist, and how has your journey evolved since then?
Sid Pattni: The experience of being an immigrant is an ongoing process and it’s one that will perpetually be embedded within me. Immigrating to Kenya didn’t feel as involved as it did in Australia because I was still a young child and had no concept of assimilation or “othering”. Once I moved to Australia at the age of 13, I began a subconscious process of surrendering all parts of my Indian and Kenyan identity in order to fit in and survive. I would colour my hair so it looked less dark, I put coloured contacts in my eyes, I adopted the Australian accent and only preserved friendships with white people. All this was done in order to survive within a context in which I was very much an “other”. Since that time, I have begun the slow process of unravelling the multitude of identities I inhabit. A significant portion of my recent works have centred on examining India through my lens as a member of the diaspora. The work is fundamentally concerned with the reclamation of aspects of my ancestral heritage that were surrendered during the process of assimilation.
Shalini Passi: From embroidery to synthetic polymer, your artwork often incorporates various mediums and styles. Could you discuss your creative process and how you decide which medium to use for each piece?
Sid Pattni: I am largely guided by whatever I am trying to communicate in my works. I have grown up as a traditional painter and a large portion of my works are portrait paintings in oil. About five years ago, I had an urge to experiment with embroidery and it was a medium that I was innately captured by. The materiality of thread and the act of stitching is something very meditative for me and I am always exploring new ways in which I can use it in conjunction with my painted works . When combining mediums such as oil paint and cotton thread, I am simultaneously considering how the mediums will operate together visually and conceptually to help me articulate the story I want to tell.
Shalini Passi: Your art often involves intricate details and patterns. How do you balance spontaneity with meticulous planning in your artistic process?
Sid Pattni: By nature, I like being in control of what I am making and even though the works can sometimes present as spontaneous, they are often planned in the inquiry and ideation phase prior to the work commencing. My process always begins by collecting imagery and using digital technologies to create a collage which contains all the key elements I want to include in the piece. I’ll then experiment with composition, colours, iconography etc until I am satisfied with how the piece articulates itself. The creation of the physical work only happens after those processes are complete. Whilst I allow for moments of spontaneity in my brushwork or style of embroidery, these are largely contained within a planned framework.
Shalini Passi: The series “a fly in the milk” incorporates the folklore of Layla and Majnun and Rafoogari embroidery, among others, to talk about isolation and your diasporic identity. How was the process like at Khōj x PICA Residency?
Sid Pattni: My residency at Khōj was a transformative one. The curatorial team really helped me to clarify how I was articulating my ideas surrounding diasporic identity and also encouraged me to work with new types of media that I hadn’t used before. I used the time to deepen my research into Indian miniature works and explored new embroidery practices. Rafoogari embroidery really captured me because unlike other embroidery practices, which are largely visible, it seeks to be invisible. I found that to be a poetic link to my own practice which explores the invisible scars of assimilation and the visible ways in which they present.
Shalini Passi: The Story of Us captured the stories of refugees and asylum seekers. Could you shed some light on what inspired you to tell these stories, and what it was like to interact with the asylum seekers and refugees?
Sid Pattni: I have worked as a volunteer with the Centre for Asylum Seekers, Refugees and Detainees (CARAD) in Perth, Australia for a while and been fortunate enough to meet some incredible people. What I realised is that this community is stuck in a paradox of peril. On one hand they are highly visible in places like the media where they are often described as queue jumpers, or people that will tarnish the eurocentric notion of what an “Australian” looks like. On the other hand, they are completely invisible, in that their stories are never told, and the broader context of their experience is largely unheard. The body of work was about spotlighting their stories and allowing them to be heard in a context which often excludes them. My hope was that the works could shift our understanding of these issues and give some nuance to the discourse surrounding asylum seekers and refugees.
Shalini Passi: Your art has been exhibited in various galleries and spaces. What do you hope viewers take away from experiencing your work in person?
Sid Pattni: One of my favourite authors is George Saunders and he says that “it’s one thing to amaze, but another to transport”. If I can transport some people through my work and shift their thinking, then for me, the work has succeeded.
Shalini Passi: What advice would you like to share for young and emerging art practitioners trying to experiment with different mediums as well as multidisciplinary approaches?
Sid Pattni: I have always sought and prioritised a sense of joy in the process of creation rather than solely focussing on the end product. I think experimentation and openness with new stimuli is crucial because it gives me the freedom to simply play without fear of an outcome. Being an artist can often feel overwhelming and serious, however, I believe if you can prioritise process and play, that then leads to the creation of a sustainable practice.
Image Courtesy: Aaron Webber, Sid Pattni
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