Overflow

The work is an expression of angst, of disquiet which the artist experiences when she sees her memories being ruined. It is the disappointment she feels, when her daughter can no longer experience the joy of witnessing those beautiful sights which are still etched in her own childhood memory.

This work was realised after a recent trip to the once-pristine, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, India. It symbolises human thoughtlessness and infestation of oceans with plastics. It is not only aesthetic ruination, the mass mortality of aquatic life due to oceanic dead zones, recurring oil spills and overfishing, has been externalised here.

95 cm × 128 cm (component 1) · 95 cm × 32 cm (component 2)
Stitch-resist dyeing and running stitch with plastic on handwoven silk · 2022

Showcased at International Art Textile Biennale '23, Australia.

Galactic

This space-themed triptych is a reflection of mystical cosmic wonders which have always fascinated me. It is intriguing that despite all the technological advancements, we humans are still unaware of many things in realm of the magical outer space. At the same time, unyielding human explorations of these unchartered territories, are continuously adding rubble in the space.

'Galactic' draws inspiration from the deep hued nebulas. The triptych is an interpretation of this fascinating interstellar space and using textile as a medium, I feel, the experience for the viewer is visual as well as tactile.

94 cm × 46 cm · 41 cm × 21 cm · 37 cm × 26 cm
Stitch-resist dyeing on handwoven silk · 2023

Showcased at Young Collectors Weekend Global: Championing emerging artists by Cultivate Art, Online exhibition, 2024.

Dolphin of the Ganges

I grew up on the banks of the River Ganges, in the picturesque town of Haridwar sandwiched between lush forest and rich riverine life. The Ganges Dolphin that once thrived in these waters has now disappeared — a victim of the pollution from indiscriminate development in this hilly region. This textile work 'Dolphin of the Ganges' is a memorial to a majestic creature and a warning against the irreversible damage caused by human activity.

The brown base is the natural colour of Balkal silk.

42 cm × 80 cm
Irregular pleating and stitch-resist dyeing on handwoven Balkal silk · 2017

Won second place award at Fiber Arts X, Sebastopol Center of the Arts, California, USA, 2021.
Showcased at Sutr Santati 2.0, National Gallery of Modern Art, Mumbai, India, 2023.

Anthropocene

Humankind is at a point of reckoning. With the impact of climate change felt in every community around the world, we are faced with the past, present and future of our civilization. The first step to address issues such as global warming is a universal acknowledgement. If we do not accept the colossal damage that we are causing to our ecosystem every day, any attempt to counter it, will fall short. The world today is standing at the edge of a precipice, staring at a frightening abyss.

This artwork is an ode to the sincere efforts by honest people across the world to mark the beginning of a time when we humans embarked on the disastrous journey of ecological destruction. It poses a meditation on the consequences of human actions — a moment of pause and reflection to consider the ripple effect of our lives and the impact of every choice we make in the course of a day, a year or even a life. The folds in the artwork depict the multi-faceted impact of human actions on the ecology and talk about the urgency required to undo the ruinous human actions.

68 cm × 72 cm
Pleating and stitch-resist dyeing on handwoven silk · 2020

Showcased at CONTEXTILE, Contemporary Textile Art Biennial, Guimarães, Portugal, 2022.
Sutr Santati 2.0, National Gallery of Modern Art, Mumbai, India, 2023.

Forest Fire

Experiences, thoughts and stories have always been my muse and I am inclined to look inwards for inspiration. This brings in a sense of peace and empathy to my work. Unconsciously, feelings expressed as self-contained forms and geometry, rendered a visual language to my artworks.

But gradually, the growing disquiet around me became inexorable to ignore. My mind started getting unsettled by the human exploitation of our planet. Polluted water table, climate change, extinction of species, and forest fires — made me anxious. My thoughts were now fuelled by my surroundings. How could the human species be so self-absorbed and short-sighted?

The complexity of these layered thoughts could no longer be expressed in closed geometric shapes. Art adapted itself to the chaos within and my yearning to be compassionate with my planet. Forest Fire resonates with the agony caused by forest fire that broke out in my native Indian state of Uttarakhand in 2016.

32 cm × 28 cm
Crumpling & stitch-resist dyeing on handwoven silk · 2017

Showcased at Browngrotta Arts, USA, 2021.

Besmirch

73 cm × 110 cm
Masking and stitch-resist dyeing on handwoven silk · 2019

Won Curator's Choice Award at Art Textile Biennale 2021, Australia.
Showcased at Art Textile Biennale 2021, Australia.

Conflict

56 cm × 75 cm
Pleating and stitch-resist dyeing on handwoven silk · 2019

Showcased at Art Textile Biennale 2021, Australia.

Threads of Distraction

The artwork titled 'Threads of Distraction' serves as a poignant reflection of societal shifts, particularly in an era dominated by technology. Amidst the rise of digital communication, the essence of tactile connection seems to be fading, replaced by a virtual interface that often lacks depths of genuine human interaction.

Through intricate interplay of form and layered compositions, the work conveys the complexity and depth of genuine human relationships, contrasting them with the shallowness of virtual interactions. The intricate weaving, stitching, and layering of textiles have long been associated with human touch, craftsmanship, and intimacy — thus textiles are the ideal medium for the commentary. The work highlights the lack of warmth in a distracted and shallow environment that the younger generation is growing up with. We humans today, despite being constantly connected over social media, are drifting apart in the minds and losing the irreplaceable value of human touch.

104 cm × 64 cm each (Diptych)
Crumpling and stitch-resist dyeing on handwoven silk · 2023

Shared Bubbles

This textile work explores the ephemeral yet impactful nature of human interactions, akin to Venn diagrams. The piece features a series of colourful and textured bubbles each representing a conversation or interaction between two people. These bubbles intersect and overlap, symbolizing the varied and nuanced levels at which our body, mind and soul are touched during these moments of glimmer or trigger.

Some bubbles are small and quickly dissipate, embodying momentary connections that leave a subtle impression. Others are larger and more enduring, signifying deeper conversations that have a lasting impact on our thoughts and emotions. 'Shared Bubbles' urges viewers to reflect on the richness of human connection and the profound influence these interactions have on our lives.

144 cm × 97 cm
Patchwork and stitch-resist dyeing on handwoven silk · 2023

Parched

"We have not inherited the land from our fathers, but have borrowed it from our children." — Dennis Hall

When I look around, it hurts me to see the noxious human greed manifesting in the felling of splendid trees. I ask myself, is there no one to fight for the rights of these voiceless saviours of human life? Has the politics of land and this rapacity blinded us to this extent that we can no longer see this rampant destruction of our ecosystem?

The land that was once lush with greenery, is parched today. The oceans that were oozing life yesterday, are turning into dead water. The artwork is emblematic of exploited land devoid of natural life but not devoid of hope. The crumpled texture symbolizes the resilience of nature, which holds the life in every form together till it can.

64 cm × 85 cm
Crumpling and stitch-resist dyeing on handwoven silk · 2020

Rainforest

48 cm × 88 cm
Stitch-resist dyeing on handwoven silk · 2022

Farmer's Jacket

Layers of cotton, reversible. Inspired by the Japanese 18th century woodcutter's vest. Synthetic dyed, with Sashiko on the collar.

Unisex · 2015
Technique: multiple stitch-resist dyeing, discharge dyeing, patchwork, overdyeing

Noragi Jacket

Cotton inside, natural balkal silk outside — the silk extracted from the peduncle of a silk cocoon. Reversible. Synthetic dyed, with hand hemming on the balkal silk exterior.

Unisex · 2015
Technique: patchwork, stitch-resist, overdyeing

Glide Jacket

Thick cotton with patched panels, unlined. Inspired by the Japanese Yukata. Synthetic dyed.

Womenswear · 2015
Technique: stitch-resist

Marine Jacket

Silk patches sewn together using different resist techniques, depicting forms of water. Tussar cotton lining, seamless construction inside. Synthetic dyed.

Womenswear · 2015
Technique: pinching, rolling, tie-dye, pleating, patchwork, discharge dyeing

Mélange Wrap

Cotton with hand-torn patches arranged in an ascending diagonal from one corner — the patches do not overlap. Each patch was laid on paper and temporarily fixed before quilting, the paper meticulously removed from each square. Synthetic dyed.

Womenswear · 2015
Technique: quilting

Meld Tunic

Cotton with hand-torn patches arranged in an abstract manner. Synthetic dyed.

Womenswear · 2015
Technique: machine quilting, Sashiko hand quilting

Foliage Kimono

Tussar eri silk on the outside, tussar cotton lining. Synthetic dyed through multiple stages.

Womenswear · 2015
Technique: multiple stages of stitch-resist and dyeing, paper clamp resist, overdyeing

Patina Kimono

Fine cotton with cotton linen lining. The lining is tea dyed, giving it a warm, aged patina. Multiple washes after stitch-resist create soft gradations.

Unisex · 2015
Technique: multiple stages of wash after stitch-resist, overdyeing, tea dyeing

Motley Poncho

Cotton with a patchwork of ascending rhombic-shaped patches. Heavy Sashiko embroidery on the neckline and edges. Synthetic dyed.

Womenswear · 2015
Technique: patchwork, stitch-resist, discharge dyeing, overdyeing, Sashiko

Woody Jacket

Patchwork cotton exterior with natural balkal silk lining — extracted from the peduncle of a silk cocoon. Synthetic dyed.

Womenswear · 2015
Technique: patchwork, stitch-resist, overdyeing

Princess Jacket

Fine cotton with Khadi cotton lining. Multiple washes after stitch-resist followed by discharging and overdyeing build up layers of tonal depth.

Womenswear · 2015
Technique: patchwork, multiple stages of wash after stitch-resist, discharging, overdyeing