My work is about creating spaces of solace.

It starts from tangible subjects such as, in this instance, the Narmada river. I delve into stories and legends and visit the site over and over again, documenting it in numerous photographs. I read books, and talk to people who have had some connection with the river – all the while gathering data as well as more nuanced cues. This slowly percolates, and with time, becomes the blueprint for many paintings. 

The paper I work with is also an important layer; often handmade, fragile and with stories of its own. Sometimes it is painted, torn, glued, or even pierced – it is a surface which I treat as second skin. I am often drawn to the emotional aspects of a narrative, and filter it through my own sensitivities. For instance, pieces of previously adored and worn sequinned saris from my mother may find their way to depict a night scene, or a patterned border of textile could be what holds two strips of paper together.