What makes artist Arpita Akhanda a memory collector?

The artist, who was just awarded the Sovereign Asian Art Prize 2025, considers her body as a vessel for memories

- Trisha Mukherjee

Last year, Arpita Akhanda found herself—quite literally—a stepping stone. During her residency at the Hampi Labs, Karnataka, the artist was quite fascinated by the river-like patterns on a rock in a granite mine. Akhanda had initially mistaken it for a fossil, but further research revealed that the rock actually featured a dendritic pattern—a drainage pattern resembling the branching of a tree. What she didn't know, however, was how the rock would become a gateway to her dreams.

The 32-year-old artist has just won this year's Sovereign Asian Art Prize—one of Asia's oldest and most prestigious awards for contemporary art—and she has the rock from Hampi to thank for it. The piece inspired the winning work, Dendritic Data Ib, which draws from the ancient iconographies and landscapes of Hampi.

Akhanda beat 35 other shortlisted artists from across Asia to win this annual award carrying a prize of $30,000. "Arpita Akhanda's multidisciplinary practice exemplifies the strength and depth of contemporary artistic voices emerging from India," says Richa Agarwal, CEO of Emami Art, Kolkata, which represents the artist. "At Emami Art, we are deeply committed to supporting artists, particularly from the eastern and northeastern regions, providing them with the platform and visibility they deserve. Arpita's achievement is not just a personal milestone but a testament to the boundless possibilities that await artists dedicated to pushing artistic and conceptual boundaries."

In an interview, Akhanda talks about creating the winning piece, becoming a collector of memories, and more. Edited Excerpts:

What is the winning work about?