An Australian artist and a master coppersmith from Punjab have joined forces to celebrate a centuries-old metalworking tradition through a contemporary art exhibition highlighting the growing cultural connection between Australia and India.
Titled ‘Analogue and Alchemy’, the exhibition brings together Australian artist Elliot Bastianon and Punjab’s renowned Thathera craftsman Hari Krishan, combining contemporary sculptural practice with the UNESCO-recognised Thathera tradition of hand-crafted copper and brass work.
Bastianon, an Australian artist based in New Delhi, is known for his experimental approach to metal accumulation, creating wall-mounted and freestanding sculptures by stacking identical components and transforming them through electroplating into dense, geological-like formations.
For this exhibition, he collaborated with Hari Krishan, a senior member of the Thathera community, whose traditional hand-forming techniques have been passed down through generations for more than two centuries.
The Thathera craft, recognised by UNESCO as an endangered intangible cultural heritage tradition, represents a rare form of North Indian metal craftsmanship. Once practised by hundreds of family workshops, the tradition is now sustained by only a small number of remaining artisans.
The collaboration explores the relationship between heritage and innovation, showing how traditional knowledge can inspire new forms of artistic expression while supporting the survival of endangered crafts.
Beyond its artistic significance, ‘Analogue and Alchemy’ reflects strengthening Australia-India cultural ties, demonstrating how creative partnerships can preserve history while creating new possibilities for contemporary art.
Through copper and brass, the exhibition connects generations, geographies and artistic traditions — bringing Punjab’s rich metalworking legacy into conversation with modern global sculpture.
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