Artist Spotlight: Anurita Chandola talks space
Anurita Chandola’s work asks us questions such as; what will humans wear on Mars? What would you take with you on a seven month journey with the knowledge that you may never return to Earth?
Chandola, a spacewear and textiles artists, is deeply interested in these questions of creating a sustainable future for humans on Mars. What do we do with our clothes when they get dirty and worn? As she says in her TEDx Talk, there is no next-day delivery in space.
Astro Anurita’s Space Suit in our current exhibition, Soft Power: Lives told through textile art, imagines ‘Astro Anurita’ alone on Mars, with objects that evoke memories of her heritage, family, and life on Earth. We spoke to Chandola about her work:
What inspires your practice?
I believe Mars is not just a dream but an unfolding reality. Human nature has always been drawn to the unknown. Exploration is in our breath, and space has offered us new ways to understand ourselves and our place in the universe.
My practice is guided by this deep belief in exploration. It begins with curiosity and the quiet wonder of what lies beyond our sky. I create for a future that may seem distant but is already shaping itself in the present, always rooted in the traditions and places we carry with us.
At the heart of my work is the belief that clothing is more than a form of protection. It carries memory and meaning. It tells us who we are and where we belong. As we step into the age of space travel, I imagine what garments might look like when we are on Mars.
I come from a small Himalayan community where sustainability was not a concept but a way of life. My parents grew up in villages where every object was used with care. Sarees were passed down across generations. Nothing was wasted. These quiet lessons of respect and resourcefulness are stitched into my work.
I draw strength from my Indian heritage, weaving together storytelling, traditional crafts and sustainable materials. I create garments that hold emotion and function side by side. Pieces that are not only worn but lived with. Similarly, on Mars, every resource will be precious. Every thread will count. I imagine clothing that grows with us, lasts for generations that carries our past as we journey toward the stars.
What is your favourite piece from Soft Power?
My favourite piece is the 230 year old silk embroidery by Ellen Sharples. There was something about this work that quietly held me. Not just for what it showed, but for the questions it began to ask. How did Ellen create something so delicate and intricate at a time when there was no electricity, no modern machines to guide her hand? When I looked more closely, the stitches were so fine they almost appeared digitally printed. It made me stop to think. To appreciate the quiet labour behind each thread. The patience, the devotion and the quiet mastery that has been passed down through time.
It is powerful to have this piece displayed in the same space as ‘Astro Anurita’s Spacesuit’. I create clothes for a distant future, yet this embroidery reminded me that our survival on another planet will depend on ancient knowledge. On the hands that know how to stitch, to repair, to create with care.
Seeing my work beside this stunning piece felt like a quiet confirmation. On Mars, we will not be able to consume goods endlessly. We will need to preserve our crafts and need to make with intention. The embroidery echoed something deep in me. A shared understanding across centuries.
Image: Alastair Brookes/KoLAB Studios
Can you tell us a little bit about your journey as an artist?
I am Anurita and I design garments and textiles for a world beyond Earth. My work brings together heritage, sustainability and the possibilities of space travel.
My journey began in India, where I spent my time designing for global fashion houses. But something was missing and I could no longer ignore the harm caused by the industry. So, I left and founded EESH, a Himalayan brand that worked with women in remote villages to create handwoven, naturally dyed textiles made from local resources.
This path led me to the Royal College of Art, where I began researching sustainable materials for life in space. After graduating, I led textiles and clothing for Building a Martian House Project in Bristol. My garments have since been exhibited at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC, Jodrell Bank and many other places.
One of my most recent pieces is a dress made from the very parachute fabric that landed the Perseverance rover on Mars. One day, when humans land there, we will need to get creative to make something meaningful from what is already there. On this dress, I embroidered my story, my heritage and the everyday things that will remind me of Earth.
My work always returns to care, craft and memory. I believe the future will ask us to remember what we already know and carry that wisdom forward into the unknown.
Image: Alastair Brookes/KoLAB Studios
What can people expect from the workshop you will be delivering during the After Hours event on 10 July?
This workshop is connected to ‘Astro Anurita’s Spacesuit’ I have created, which is on display at the RWA. The suit is embroidered with objects that symbolise what I would choose to carry with me to another planet. Things that reflect who I am and what I wish to preserve.
In the workshop, participants will be invited to reflect on one object they would take with them if they could only choose one. What would it be? A tool? A recipe? A symbol of someone they love? A hobby?
Using embroidery on fabric, each person will create a patch that represents that chosen object. This workshop offers more than a skill, it is a space for reflection. A conversation about what we value, what we carry and what we leave behind.
As we dream of other worlds, this is a gentle reminder to hold on to the stories and symbols that make us who we are.
Book your ticket for After Hours on 10 July
You can see Astro Anurita’s Space Suit in Soft Power: Lives told through textile art until 10 August 2025.
Annual Art Pass: £18
Day ticket: £9.90 (inc. Donation)
Concessions: £5.45 (inc. Donation)
Students and under 18s: Free