“My earlier exhibition was on climate change. While researching the subject, especially coral reefs underwater, I realised how marine life was being affected by human interference. Later, when I started working on forest fires and deforestation, I saw how animals, birds and insects were slowly disappearing. Looking at everything that was happening around us, I felt I had to create an exhibition that talks about the many species affected by human interference,” says Kalyani.

While researching for the exhibition, she wanted to rely on an established conservation body rather than individual articles. She based her work on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and its Red List of Threatened Species. “The IUCN has something called the Red List, which documents endangered species. Every time you hear about another bird or animal becoming extinct, it leaves an impact. I have created artworks on 73 different species. Each artwork features a bird, animal or insect, along with the threat it faces,” she adds.

Kalyani also felt it was important to make the exhibition informative and accessible, especially for children and first-time visitors. “Every artwork explains the threat the species faces. I have also written a short four- to eight-line poem, almost in the voice of the animal asking for help. I have done this for every species. I wanted visitors, especially the younger generation, to understand what we are talking about and connect with the works,” she says. The exhibition is presented in collaboration with Common Threads Studio and the Alliance Française of Madras

Created using repurposed materials such as discarded fabric, paper, plastic, rusted nails, scrap metal and construction waste collected across Chennai, the artworks transform everyday waste into powerful visual stories. Using techniques including crochet, weaving, embroidery, punch needle, and other mixed-media practices, each piece captures a defining moment in a species’ decline while highlighting habitat destruction, climate change, illegal wildlife trade, overexploitation and biodiversity loss. Kalyani believes there is an urgent need for greater awareness about environmental issues. “A lot is happening around us. We see forest fires across the world, rising temperatures, and the effects of unchecked construction, which is contributing to landslides. The recent Wayanad landslide is one such example. I feel every person in society needs to stop and think before giving in to greed. Why do we keep constructing so much? We can live in only one house, but we want to own more. We can drive only one car, yet we always want more. Through my art, I am trying to raise these questions and make people, especially the younger generation, more sensitive to the world around them.”