Sex, Sexuality, and Society
I am an Indian-born visual artist based in the USA, I ignite conversations about the complexities of sex and sexuality through sculptures, installations, and performances. My art challenges societal norms surrounding sex, gender, and the spectrum of human experience—from love’s embrace to devastating abuse.
My sculptures are multi-dimensional narratives of the female experience, created from the discarded whispers of society. I breathe new life into found objects—clothing, shoes, women’s purses, fur, animal horns, and everyday objects—meticulously and selectively sourced from thrift stores and personal collections. These objects once adorned the body to protect, becoming custodians of memory and preserving the events that transpired. They now serve as a physical link to the past, holding stories and emotions within their fibres. In these objects, I find inspiration. I hear their silent whispers and uncover a spark of forgotten stories—pleasure and pain, joys and hardships, respect and exploitation. I visualize these objects as witnesses to bygone events, feeling the weight of history in my hands.
Through transformative alchemy, I dye these materials, cut, tear, carve, mould, stitch, mend, and reshape them, transforming their muted tones into vibrant expressions of emotions. My vocabulary of remembrance encompasses shoes and boots, emblems of both pleasure and pain and animal horns, which symbolize the power of exploitation. They juxtapose the stories of the women who wear them. Purses and bags, on the other hand, serve as clandestine sanctuaries, safeguarding the personal secrets and treasures of their owners. These objects serve as powerful symbols in my work, narrating the complex experiences and inner lives of women.
My art celebrates the female body in its entirety—its pleasure, divinity, and strength—reflecting its capacity to contain the deepest emotions and life experiences. Yet, simultaneously, my art also confronts the pain, agony, and struggles that women endure within a male-dominated society.
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(Im) permanence
I, an Indian-born visual artist based in the USA, explore life’s fragility and the transient nature of existence through wet clay performances. These introspective displays invite contemplation on the interplay between vulnerability and strength, showcasing the enduring human spirit amidst ephemerality.
For over a decade, I have wielded wet clay as my primary medium. Its impermanence mirrors the fleeting nature of life, a central theme in my performances. The clay becomes a medium for existential dialogue, allowing me to delve into love, loss, the duality of living and non-living, and the complexities of gender identity and sexuality. Each layer I add signifies a physical action, transforming the material into an anthropological time capsule.
By manipulating the clay – kneading, walking on it, pushing, drawing, and writhing – I expose the vulnerabilities and conflicts inherent in the human condition. This physical engagement lays bare the intricate relationship between body and soul. My work aims to catalyze a sense of connection and introspection within the viewer, ultimately leading to a deeper understanding of our shared humanity and the complexities of existence.