My Art Portfolio

2024, acrylic, wire, turmeric, pastel, and fabric installation on paper, 18″ x 24″

This piece combines elements of my ancestral homeland, Hyderabad, India. A samosa vendor, stray animals characteristic of Indian streets, and a banyan tree with branches draped in Indian fabrics are all overlaid onto a turmeric background, evoking the scents of Indian food as well. Just as the branches of the banyan tree extend past the picture plane, my Indian identity stretches beyond the country’s borders, remaining an integral part of me no matter where I am.

2024, oil, acrylic, and fabric on canvas, 24″ x 18″

In this self-portrait, I explore my Indian and Muslim identities. Draped in Indian fabrics, I cover my hair, emulating the Muslim women who don the hijab. The vibrant colors and expressive brushstrokes convey the liveliness of my culture and identity. Just as the layers of fabric and paint blend together, the two parts of my identity fuse together creating the person I am today.

2024, oil, acrylic, fabric, yarn, and chains on canvas, 20″ x 16″

One of my biggest fears is running out of time. I worry that as I sit around, life is passing me by. In this self-portrait, I stare at a clock, watching time slip away. As I do this, I miss out on the vibrancy of life, represented by the colorful background. This piece is a reminder to myself to experience every moment and fully experience life rather than focusing on things beyond my control, like how much time I have left. Life isn’t defined by the ticking clock, but by how I choose to fill the moments in between. This piece represents a turning point, reminding me that embracing the present shapes who I am, rather than being consumed by the passage of time.

2024, magazine on paper, 24″ x 18″

In this self portrait, I depict myself waxing my upper lip, a weekly ritual. Waxing involves applying hot wax to the skin to remove hair. Beauty standards for the female body are predominately Eurocentric, and the pressure on women of color to conform is immense. As a South Asian woman, my dark, thick hair is especially visible on my upper lip. Constantly seeing beauty advertisements on billboards, seemingly flawless celebrities on TV, and reading magazines, I often feel compelled to remove it. This piece reflects the internal conflict I face, caught between societal expectations and my own sense of identity and self-acceptance.

2024, charcoal and newspaper on paper, 18″ x 24″

My Nana (grandfather) struggles to keep it together during the violence and destruction of the 1948 partition of India at only 12 years old. He lived in a small village that was subject to rioting and burning, and eventually escaped with his family to Hyderabad. In this work, I imagine him breaking down amidst the violence and horror, overlaid onto a backdrop of collaged newspaper articles, maps, and other historical documents from the period. Headlines such as ‘FATAL RIOTING CONTINUES TO RAGE’ and ‘DEATH REACHES NEW PEAK’ show the grim reality my family lived through. I grew up listening to my Nana’s stories about life during Partition, and in this piece, I try to imagine what it must have been like to live through such a dangerous, uncertain time as a young child, connecting to my ancestral history and cultural roots.

2024, charcoal on paper, 18″ x 24″

I am a third-generation Indian American, and the fusion of my cultural identities is best represented by the dinner my family eats every night. Bowls of gosht ka salan, butter chicken with naan, and basmati rice sit alongside a Costco salad. Common Indian spices, like cumin and turmeric, are used to prepare the meal alongside sesame oil, a staple of East Asian cuisine. This combination of food and flavors not only reflects my multifaceted cultural identity but also embodies the nature of globalization and the interconnectedness of cultures around the world.

2024, oil on canvas, 24″ x 18″

My Nani (grandmother) makes her chai with a recipe passed down from generations of women before her. When she pours it into cups for her children and grandchildren to enjoy, I am brought back to Hyderabad — the towering minarets of Char Minar, the mosque of the old city; the rickshaws and motorcyclists filling the streets; and the clothesline hanging in my aunt’s backyard. In this piece, I explore how my grandmother’s chai connects me to my ancestral homeland and the roots of my cultural identity.

2024, oil and yarn installation on canvas

On the right, I have painted my mother at 46 years old. On the left, I have painted my father at 5 years old. Yarn connects the two portraits, drawing on the Asian concept of the ‘red string of fate,’ an invisible red thread believed to connect people destined to meet. In this installation, I contemplate what causes connections between humans. Is it ordained fate or simple chance? Are there certain people meant to be part of your life? My parents are depicted in different places at different stages of their lives, illustrating connection across space and time.

2024, oil and paper installation on canvas

I am an avid traveler and often paint scenes from my travels that inspire me. From right to left, the three paintings are scenes from Quebec City, Jerusalem, and New Delhi. Each painting captures a moment that, to me, encapsulated the feeling and culture of the area. With every stroke of paint, I try to convey the richness and multitudes of each city. The geometric shapes surrounding the paintings connect each work and symbolize how my travels as a whole have shaped me — every place I travel to exposes me to new cultures, languages, and people. Just as the geometric shapes protrude from the two-dimensional plane, I reach beyond the borders of my current reality with each new place I explore.

2024, oil on canvas

In these five works, I explore the negative effects of news on both society and individuals in the modern world. Disproportionate reporting of negative events, sensationalized headlines aimed at increasing engagement, and the spread of digital news, which fosters addiction, are central themes in my exploration. Further, the “finger-pointing” culture present in modern news reporting and the feeling of being trapped in an echo chamber are concepts I explore through this installation.