This week we welcome Vishali Bawa, a visual artist and art director. Bawa earned a master’s degree in strategic design and management from Parsons School of Design, and a bachelor’s in applied arts from Sir J.J. School of Art in Mumbai.
Her work as an artist combines hand-drawn illustrations and digital vector-based forms. Communication, design, and her independent visual art practice hold equal weight in her estimation, and both channel her South Asian heritage as a frame of cultural reference.
She recently exhibited at the Conception Art Show in New York. Her digital art pieces have also been published by Art and Found, Women Who Draw, and People of Craft, among others. Bawa frequently collaborates with independent musicians on the art direction and design of album covers.
“As an artist, I explore emotions as a multifaceted and ever-changing phenomenon. Just like light passing through a prism, emotions can be broken down into different constituents and refracted into various hues and intensities. I believe that emotions are a powerful force that shapes our experiences and drives our actions. By examining emotions as if through a prism, I aim to capture the complexity and depth of our innermost feelings and to bring to light their many nuances,” she writes. “We live in a world mired by societal prejudices, constantly nudging us to suppress our feelings or, at the very least, replace the genuineness of our emotions with superficiality. This, in turn, can be detrimental to our mental well-being.
Through my artworks, viewers are transported into a world where they can experience, concede to, and celebrate their emotions. It is an invitation to tap inner strength and resilience, to break free from the reticulation of judgments, and ultimately coming out feeling empowered.”
