retrograde

A series of drawings that exist within boundaries and borders. Created in confinement, the images evoke a longing for a simpler time through imagery of classic South Asian cinema and traditional Mughal miniature paintings; while grappling with the modern human condition in light of a pandemic.

This highlighted what seems to be a shift in our definitions of ‘First World’ and ‘Third World’. Through these drawings, I work to illustrate some of these disparities that seem to arise through the innocuous process of globalization. The current socio-political climate of the south is gradually becoming one that questions conventions and reconstructs traditional mindsets; navigating these shifts as a woman has become as critical as ever.

This shift is compounded by the crumbling western hemisphere that is rife with political unrest ignited by brazen and outspoken right wing points of view. My drawings are an attempt to make sense of these two disparate worlds, working within these intersections; with the hope of pushing this discourse further.

The images represent the precarious nature of traversing in and out of gendered roles. Allowing the viewer to understand the female character as a protagonist rather than a monolithic being. Through its various forms, the female presence makes a statement and reinforces its importance; to cultivate a critical yet productive intersectional dialogue.

Presented within a circular frame to act like windows or openings, allowing viewers intimate access into this allegorical world of relationships, both familial and romantic, with the underlying threat of a patriarchal society that persists beneath these vignettes of freedom.