For me, making art is like the fairy tale Rumpelstiltskin who spins straw into gold. My work typically incorporates discarded resources and often symbolic and sentimental materials such as jewellery and fabric. I spin a magical transformational journey where reclaimed and forgotten materials assimilate to take on new life and narratives that reflect my interest in reuse, identity, memory, nature and the constant cycle of death and regeneration.
My paintings include organic materials such as soil, leaves, and straw which intertwine with visual complexity. The layering process melds materials such as heavily textured impasto, ink, rangoli, acrylics and oil paint. Flicking, scraping, cutting, tearing, and burning have become my artistic rituals and a trancelike meditative process. Natural forms in my work serve as a gateway to abstraction that transcends literal representation and delve into the realm of emotions, ideas, and personal connection.
I grew up captivated by my surroundings, a kaleidoscope of colours, textiles, music, movies, and dance. My paintings often convey an Indian aesthetic as I continually weave threads that connect to my rich Indian heritage. I infuse my paintings with rich, vivid colours and tactility, drawing inspiration from the fabric of Indian art and design, where colour is deeply embedded in its science, culture, and history. The interplay of hues within my artwork seeks to elicit a dynamic and engaging visual experience to capture and enliven the essence of emotion and expression. From the intricate to the bold compositions, my art reflects the many facets of my identity and the diverse cultural tapestry that makes me who I am.
The Yoni series, like the Hindu iconography, depicts a stylised representation of the female reproductive organ by selectively layering fabrics onto the canvas that are manipulated and transformed by hand. Scoring down the middle of the canvas is an absorbing process and feels like a sacred ceremony that reveals the gateway through which creation occurs and the birth and nurturing of ideas. The fabric I use is donated or offcuts collected from Indian tailors who create traditional clothing for women. Each fabric holds a unique story and connection to a woman, symbolically making the works a collective feminine energy.
The profound influence of my Indian heritage on making art has led me to a particular interest in Indian miniature painting. I recently spent time in Rajasthan (Jaipur) to study under the direction of master painter Ajay Sharma. These studies are ongoing; the high level of technical skills and precision introduce new exciting possibilities to my practice, allowing me to reconnect with my roots and explore widely diverse themes, including concepts in Hinduism, Yogic Philosophy, Tantra art, Nature, and cycles representing the cosmic world.