Meera sethi biography

As a self-taught graphic designer, Sethi felt that her transition to a full-time visual artist was a gradual one.

Bilal siddiqi mira sethi age difference

Despite earning a BFA and MA in Interdisciplinary Studies at York University , it was only after graduation that Sethi began experimenting with acrylic paints and became more confident working directly with various materials in her studio. Her experimentations with paint eventually led to figurative paintings that explored her interests in South Asian identities and place.

Painting series such as Firangi Rang Barangi Colourful Stranger, , Foreign Returned and Upping the Aunty combine her graphic design and painterly sensibilities. These vivid and highly graphic paintings and drawings examine the hybridity and evolution of South Asian clothing, gendered norms and societal expectations. Most often portraits, these works emphasize the individuality of her subjects and provide insights [into] the diversity of South Asian culture.

Mira sethi daughter

The playfulness and broad appeal of these illustrative works humorously highlight at the misconceptions about the personal lives of South Asian women. Moreover, the work of established artists such as Mona Hatoum, Doris Salcedo, and Louise Bourgeois have been important to Sethi for understanding how to foreground the feminist body and the ways in which these artists have linked personal histories to larger social and political events.

However, it is ultimately the stories and histories of communities that she is connected to such as queer people of colour and her family relations that she is most invested in. For Sethi, it is the stories from these communities, particularly histories of migration, the global flow of capital and colonization that exposes the current, complex lived experiences of people today.

Sethi develops her work organically as her process involves preliminary drawings, reading, and written reflection. More recently, Sethi has shifted from working in a stationary, graphic design manner to one that is much more mindful and body-focused in nature. In her current textile-based works, Outerwhere , Sethi stitches together second-hand winter coats and various embellishments such as food wrappers, plastic flowers, fabric ribbons, and mirrors.

As she continues to evolve her work, Sethi has moved away from her past design practice to a more experimental, and time-sensitive approach—one that utilizes her history and memories in a more personal way. For her, the move from her graphic design to a more visual arts practice has allowed her to move towards a deeper reflection on the world around her.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam.