Artist Statement

In my works, I use the elements of narrative in an experimental way to explore geo-political issues and speak about the part of human nature which creates and controls borders/peripheries/hierarchies.

 The present body of work explores how the experience of swaying between the two cultures has altered the meaning of home for me. It speaks through my baggage of experience and pulls out the questions related to cultural identity. To me, being far from home is about the endless self-imposed struggle to keep up the balance between the two cultures and efforts to make myself feel at home.  
The works formulates a conceptual and psychological question “What is home?”

 Most of the times while attempting to answer this question I wander far off, and reach out to the places/nations where individual and families are struggling to have a secure physical space to live their life with dignity and freedom. The present works draws from the familiar images of war, fused with everyday struggle in a so-called combat free zone. Through encrypted images the work delves into the integral relation of home, security and sense of belongingness.

Bio

Pallavi was born and raised in India and immigrated to United States in 1997. She received her BFA and MFA from the Faculty of Fine Arts Baroda, India and received her Ph.D. in Art History from India's National Museum Institute of History of Art and Conservation, New Delhi under the guidance of Prof. Ratan Parimoo.

Her Art shows in 2010 includes a solo show ‘A Traveling Tale’ at Gallery Route one- Point Ryes Station and ‘Inner Eye’ at Lindsay Dirx Brown Gallery, San Ramon, CA.  Her recent group shows comprises ‘Blue Planet’ at SomArts, San Francisco, CA, ‘If Not Now When’, Bishop Museum, Honolulu, HI and ‘Artistic Transformations, Malonga Center for the Arts, Oakland, CA.

At present, she is a board member of Asian American Women Artist Association (AAWAA) and Director of ‘Inner Eye Art’ an Art Consulting Firm specializing in South Asian Art.