PADMA YANGCHAN + NAMZA COUTURE
In an exclusive interview with Sursuma, fashion designer Padma Yangchan, shares her mission to celebrate culture: “Namza Couture—the word Namza is an honorific term for a garment in Ladakhi and also Namza means weather. So, we have Namza Dining as well as Namza Couture, which reinterprets our region’s textiles and dress traditions. Both branches preserve, document, and celebrate Ladakh’s heritage in contemporary contexts.”
Yangchan details the process of natural dyeing with local herbs like nettle, the revival of endangered Ladakhi textile techniques, and her mission to create a sustainable marketplace for local artisans. A deep dive into sustainable fashion and cultural preservation offers a unique lens on the future of craft-based couture.
Ficus Punica 787g/ARTISTS’ PHOTO ALBUMS
We are excited to present the work of Tijana Radenković in the latest edition of Artists’ Photo Album. Tijana Radenković: “My artistic practice is directed towards examining identity, as well as the function and perception of the human body, beauty, and ideals. I also explore the relationship between word and record, whether through linguistic structures or inscriptions on the body. By using methods of collecting and archiving objects and bio-elements (such as bacteria, skin, or bodily residues), I investigate the stability of organisms and things within both personal space and the spaces we share with others, with a particular focus on boundaries at the micro and macro levels.”
Printed Matter/ MUSEUMS’ SERIES
Sursuma is delighted to present Museums’ Series: A Duology of Printed Matter and Design Anthology—collaborations with cultural institutions to reimagine their collections.
For our inaugural Printed Matter edition, we partner with Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art to explore Christo’s Wrapped Walk Ways (in collaboration with Wolfgang Volz), presented by Stephanie Fox Knappe, Sanders Sosland Senior Curator, Global Modern and Contemporary Art, Head American Art. This work inquires into the archive of the iconic 1978 Kansas City installation, examining its materiality, collective memory, and enduring legacy.
LINA CHOI
We speak with sound artist Lina Choi to delve into her artistic journey with water: “I want to explore our deep connection with water—why we desire to be near it, listen to it, feel relaxed by it.” Moving from sculpture to immersive sound installations, Choi uses hydrophones and binaural microphones to capture the hidden sounds of frozen lakes, rivers, and underwater worlds. Inspired by the writings of Astrida Neimanis' "Bodies of Water," Choi’s research explores the connection between the natural waters and the maternal waters we all originate from.