Karishma

I was travelling to Mexico on a solo trip, and I knew I wanted to include something more meaningful within that journey.

Close Quarters introduced me to VAWAA while designing my travel, and that’s how I came across this residency, and eventually Kees.

I was looking for something intuitive rather than structured, where I could step into a different rhythm and reconnect with my practice. I chose to work with Kees because I wanted to explore land art as a medium.

It felt raw, intuitive, and unfamiliar to me. Also, the idea of creating something that I would not own or take back physically felt important, almost like a challenge I wanted to experience.

More than achieving something specific, I wanted to step out of control and see what happens when I allow the process to unfold on its own terms.

The most important outcome for me was internal.

I began to understand that not everything needs to be resolved, and that stillness is not empty. There is a quieter movement that happens when you stop trying to control it. I feel less rushed in my practice now.

More open, more patient, and more willing to sit with uncertainty without immediately trying to define or fix it.

This experience has shifted not just what I make, but how I arrive at making.