About the Conversation

Ankha Millo's artist talk "Feeling forests: reclaiming indigenous relationalities" is related to the Iyarkai grant titled which promises to be an insightful conversation on the interconnectedness of humans and nature. Ankha's work explores the intimate relationships between indigenous communities and their surrounding forests, highlighting the ways in which traditional ecological knowledge can inform contemporary environmental movements. In conversation with Mridu Rai, Ankha will delve into her creative process and discuss how her work engages with themes of ecology, decolonization, and community engagement. Through her art, Ankha aims to challenge the dominant narratives of environmentalism that often overlook the perspectives and experiences of indigenous people. This artist talk offers a unique opportunity to engage with a visionary artist who is actively working towards the revitalization of indigenous cultures and ecological systems. Ankha's insights will undoubtedly leave a lasting impact on all those in attendance, inspiring us to reexamine our own relationships with the natural world and the communities that call it home.

Artist Bios

Ankha Millo

She is a poet, visual artist and storyteller from Ziro, Arunachal pradesh. Her work is concerned with the intersections of gender, environment and indigenous cosmology. She is an alumni of Angkor photo workshop, cambodia 2023. She is the recipient of Zubaan- sasakawa peace foundation grants for journalists from the North east 2020-21 and Amplify photo grant 2022. She is the founder and a member of AAMA collective; a collective of women visual artists from North east of India.

Mirdu Rai

She is the co-founder of the Confluence Collective. She is currently pursuing her PhD in visual anthropology from University College London (UCL), where she is exploring animistic possibilities of photography. She is the recipient of the Critical Collective-PhotoSouthAsia Young Writers Award (2021) for lens-based practices and the IFA Art Research Grant 2021. Her ongoing archival research project, How Do I Bring You Home? (2022) has been exhibited at the Royal Anthropological Institute, London (2021-22) and Serendipity Arts Festival Goa (2022).

Catch the conversation below:

About Iyarkai Grant

The grant supports young and emerging female photographers to pursue projects on conservation, ecology, and social issues related to climate change. The arts, including photography, educate and inspire people to protect the environment and promote sustainability, making this grant a vital tool in raising awareness about environmental challenges.