Through the Looking Glass
Soumya K.
Oil on Canvas
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In my 16x20” painting, I used oil paint to give a dreamy feeling by creating soft, blended lines. I wanted to capture a moment of connection and tradition in my culture by portraying a young Indian woman gazing into a mirror. The woman is not only looking into her literal reflection, but also reflecting on her journey of self-discovery and her relationship with her cultural heritage. The mother’s braiding of the hair symbolizes the passing down of culture through generations and how the younger generations learn from the ones that came before them. The snow globe has a dancer, who is dancing in the bharatanatyam style, which represents the nostalgia that the culture brings. Through this piece, I want to show the intricacies of culture and how necessary it is to pass it down through generations to keep it alive. The central woman in the portrait is based on me.
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To me, creativity is the ability to express yourself with no limits through the art you make, no matter what the medium is, in a way that helps not only yourself but others as well.