Dhanya Pilo’s trajectory as a nomadic urbanist, artist, filmmaker, and educator has been shaped by continuous movement across landscapes, disciplines, and communities. Through this lens, she understands public spaces not as fixed entities, but as fluid environments shaped by social practice, collective memory, and ecological interdependence.
These principles inform The Decoy, to move beyond the visual and symbolic presence of decoy ducks as more than mere hunting tools: they become metaphors for agency, misdirection, and community narratives. The Decoy seeks to disrupt passivity in public space and catalyze imaginative engagement through an object that is at once playful and politically charged. It merges environmental literacy, artistic expression, and urban critique into a participatory framework that resonates across disciplines and spaces. By moving through waterways and city edges, just as Pilo moved across continents and coastlines, the talk channels the nomadic spirit toward collective reorientation and deeper connections.Dhanya Pilo is a multifaceted filmmaker, designer, and sailor based in Mumbai, India. Born in 1981 in Kerala, she grew up in Mumbai, where she developed a passion for sailing at a young age. Despite the scarcity of sailing infrastructure in India, Dhanya pursued her interest and became an active sailor over the past two decades. She was part of the Indian Women’s Team “Windcatchers,” competing in international events such as the Thailand Match Race III and the Women’s World Match Racing Championships in Busan.
Professionally, Dhanya is a trained designer from the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, and Strelka, Moscow. Her work spans various disciplines, including filmmaking, spatial design, and urban art. She co-founded The Wall Project in 2007, an initiative that transforms public spaces in India through art and design. In 2006, she began her journey as VJ Decoy, delivering live visual performances in clubs and galleries. Her contributions to the arts have earned her recognition, including being featured in CNN Go’s “Mumbai Hot List” in 2009.
In 2024, Dhanya joined Team Maiden, an all-female crew that made history by winning the Ocean Globe Race, an around-the-world sailing competition. Beyond her professional achievements, she is dedicated to promoting sailing as a means to understand environmental changes and foster resilience.
Respondent: Amrita Gupta (Art Historian and Co-director, CASP).
May 30th, 2025 | 6.00 pm – 7.30 pm on Zoom | Open to all.
