Chandni Raithatha

About

Chandni Raithatha is a multidisciplinary artist whose work spans photography, sculpture, video, and installation. Rooted in storytelling and cultural memory, her practice explores identity, migration, and the lasting impact of colonialism. Drawing from both personal and archival materials, she reflects on the complexities of navigating multiple cultural histories as a woman of African Caribbean and South Asian descent.

Alongside her studio practice, Chandni is a dedicated art facilitator, leading workshops that help young people explore identity through creative expression. She is also a founding member of WLV Togetherness, a Wolverhampton-based collective supporting marginalised communities in creating and sharing art.

Her work has been featured on BBC News and recognised with the Multistory Award (2024) and the Genesis Imaging Bursary Award (2025).

DADA

“Dada” is an archival installation that offers a deeply personal exploration of Chandni’s grandfather’s life, focusing on themes of migration, identity, and the enduring effects of colonialism.

Presented through a 30-minute cine film documenting her family’s journey from Kenya to London, along with family archives, medium-format photographs, and sculptural elements such as a handmade cutlass and teabags UV-printed with images from her family archives, the work transforms the space into a living archive.

The installation reflects the complexities of memory, loss, and the ongoing weight of displacement. Through her grandfather’s story, Raithatha examines how cultural expectations, rather than personal choice, shaped his sense of home and identity. She also explores how inherited displacements and belief systems continue to influence our understanding of home and self, shedding light on the lasting impact of migration and colonial histories across generations.