Madhumita Nandi

I am a visual anthropologist based in Berlin, working at the intersection of political ecology, memory culture, and archival practices. My research and interdisciplinary practice critically examine socio-ecological transformations, migration, and spatial politics, focusing on how communities experience and actively shape these processes.

Drawing on ethnographic methods, multimodal anthropology, Science and Technology Studies (STS), and interdisciplinary archival inquiry, I critically examine the politics of representation in relation to the complex interconnections between colonial legacies, environmental change, and contemporary policy frameworks. My work centers on the production of situated knowledge through the integration of text, imagery, sound, data, participatory installations, and digital platforms.

With over a decade of experience behind the lens, my journey began in Kolkata documenting urgent social and environmental crises alongside humanitarian organizations. I expanded this engagement through collaborations with leading agencies, brands, and organizations across India. As a founding member of India’s first storytelling platform, ‘Untold’, I helped pioneer immersive digital narratives that challenge dominant discourses and amplify marginalized voices, engaging diverse audiences on multiple levels. My Master’s thesis in Visual and Media Anthropology at the University of Münster, Germany, critically examined the intricate politics of gaze and power embedded within visual representation, informed by archival methodologies. My practice evolved through my role as Artistic Co-Director of Oyoun, a Berlin-based cultural organization where I lead intersectional projects centering decolonial, queer-feminist, and migrant perspectives. These initiatives have received support from institutions including Nordisk KulturFond, Globus Opstrat, and Senate für Kultur, Kultusstiftung des Bundes. My work extends into social engagement, technology, citizen participation, and politics, where I explore the synergy between art, science, and technology to foster more democratic, inclusive, and culturally driven spaces.

My research and fieldwork span diverse coastal ecologies across Asia, the Pacific, the Arctic, and European borderlands, where I collaborate with communities to investigate socio-ecological transformations, cultural memory, and environmental change. These transregional experiences strengthen my interdisciplinary practice in political ecology, broadening insights into climate resilience, migration, and justice.