MONICA RANI RUDHAR
Home Under My Feet and Bells in My Ears (2025)
Cast bronze, mirrors, steel, sandblasted paving stones
“Through this work, I aim to create a space where people can encounter new perspectives, connect with different cultural histories, and feel a sense of inclusion and belonging.”
- Monica Rani Rudhar, 2025
Home Under My Feet and Bells in My Ears is a striking site-specific installation featureing a hanging chandelier-shaped bronze sculpture inspired by a Jhumka earring and a rangoli-inspired ground plane etched into the foyer floor through sandblasting.
The Jhumka earring, adorned with bells, symbolises South Asian jewellery worn during festive occasions and is believed to ward off negative spirits, ushering in positive energy and abundance. The bell form was first handcrafted in terracotta by the artist before being recast into multiples in bronze using the ancient lost wax technique. This process transforms the material from a traditional form into something permanent and monumental, and marks a significant moment in Rudhar’s practice, experimenting with scale and more immersive work.
The rangoli, a traditional Indian design often created during auspicious occasions, serves as a lasting imprint of an ephemeral art form. Traditionally placed at entrances, rangolis are laid by hand out of coloured sand and petals. They are symbols of welcome and are believed to usher in prosperity, inviting good fortune into the spaces they adorn. The sandblasted rangoli design is a scaled replication of a hand-drawn sketch by the artist, embodying the effort to preserve a practice traditionally passed down by women.
Rudhar’s work often explores themes of longing, loss, and cultural disconnection, drawing from her multi-racial ethnicity. The rangoli serves as a poignant reference to matriarchal histories and the inter-generational exchange of cultural knowledge. Her practice aims to restore fragmented familial histories and rituals disrupted by migration, fostering connection and inclusion in public space. The work resonates with the local community in Randwick, home to a diverse blend of migrant and diasporic communities, offering a space for reflection on cultural reconnection.
This installation is part of the New Monumental public art series curated by Vital Commons, which also features works by Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran and Reko Rennie. The series invites artists to create new monuments that reflect the diversity and complexity of contemporary life.
Studio photography: @hamishmcintosh
Foundry photography: @afloralfrenzy
Painting photography: @electrobrownieland
New Monumental is a public art series curated by Vital Commons for @scapeau with support from @randwickcouncil
