Conceptual nominee

Plastic menace has been a major Global crisis in Human history. It is appearing in the form of Mountains on our Land and floating Islands in our Oceans. The journey of contamination has still continued to our Polar seas; Now! Plastic is also taking shape of polar Ice sheets. Scientists have found an unprecedented number of micro plastics frozen in Arctic sea ice, demonstrating the alarming extent to which they are pervading marine environments. Each liter of sea ice contained around 12,000 particles of plastic; over half the micro plastic particles trapped in the Ice were less than a twentieth of a millimeter wide. Based on their analysis, Polar Sea Ice is not only acting as a store for Ocean Plastic but it could potentially be released as Global temperatures get warmer due to climate change; the movement of sea ice could be depositing micro plastics in areas that were previously plastic-free.

"Fragments" are the sculptures created by freezing water in plastic objects giving them desired shape and later document them through photography. These ephemeral sculptural pieces stands as metaphors, like Fragments broken apart from ice sheets; reversing the whole idea into ice trapped in plastic objects.

Dhiraj Pednekar a visual artist and art educator, pursued his Masters in Fine Art from University of Hyderabad India; And Bachelors in Fine Art from Goa college of Art under Goa University India. Although his specialized subject is sculpture he practices in multiple medias from Drawing, Painting, Sculpture, Photography, video and Performance.

He was Awarded University Medal for securing first rank in MFA sculpture (2014). Received Honorable mention certificate award for sculpture at 37th State art exhibition Goa (Student category)(2012).

He has participated in several group exhibitions; 44th State art exhibition Goa (2018-19). "Mapping frontiers" Goethe Zentrum Krishnakriti festival Hyderabad (2018). Open Day 17 & 16 at HH Art Spaces Goa (2017). “How Strong the Breeze, How Precious the Flight” Salar Jung Museum Hyderabad (2014). “Vatavaran” Hamilton gallery Baltimore Maryland United States of America (2013).

Recently he has done an interesting collaboration with Bangalore Artists, an Open session Performance Art in Public Space initiated by "Bbeyond" world wide; “Same Difference: Equinox to Equinox” SEPTEMBER EQUINOX event (2018). he was Artist in residence at HH Arts Spaces, Goa (2017). Worked in public realm with his Public Art project “Bio scope” at International Film Festival of India, Goa (2015).