• Kinkar sources his mother-of-pearl locally in West Bengal
• He transforms shells into jewellery, cutlery, lamps and decorative vessels
• His practice largely involves training other artisans in mother-of-pearl art

Kinkar Ghosh’s mother-of-pearl vessels are constructed by layering and assembling hundreds of shells in vase-like forms. His journey in craft began in 1989, when he left school early to find work to support his parents. A family friend who made mother-of-pearl jewellery took Kinkar on as an apprentice, training him to cut, shape and finish shells by hand over the course of three months. "I returned to my village and began working independently, creating jewellery, cutlery and decorative objects for markets, exhibitions and craft fairs across India," he says. As demand for his work grew, Kinkar began training other family members and local craftswomen. He eventually founded his workshop Santoshi Handicrafts, which employs dozens of artisans. In 2025, he collaborated with artist Inderjeet Sandhu and EKO on a series of sculptural vessels, winning the ADxJSW Prize for Contemporary Craftsmanship.