Madi Acharya-Baskerville creates mixed media sculptures using found objects and discarded ephemera to explore themes including environmental concerns, migration and exile and gender issues. Our conversation took place at her studio in Oxford, which was full of neatly piled boxes of found materials waiting to be used.
I particularly wanted to catch up with Madi after she had made a chance remark to me about the possibility of a Library of Lies as a conceptual counterpoint to my own Library of Truth. But in fact our discussions ranged widely over a number of topics to do with the creative process, and Madi shows me some of her recent work, including a three-buttocked sculpture that takes me somewhat by surprise.
I always enjoy recording these podcasts and being curious about what everyone is getting up to, and this episode felt like it was the most playful of the current series.
In this episode we also consider the relationship between art and ideas, and Madi also tells me that she is thinking about writing a novel. I’m very much looking forward to reading it.
You can listen to this episode here: https://soundcloud.com/robertgood_art/madi-acharya-baskerville
Next week: Matt Chesney, director of Backlit Gallery Nottingham, tells me how (and why) he started the gallery and he explains the importance of community in everything that they do.
