In my work, these shapes trace my personal journey. I draw from the outer structures of homes, varied architectural forms, boats, and spatial elements. Each form carries the imprint of a place and a phase of my life—my birth in Bihar, growing up and schooling in Uttar Pradesh, my formative years in Shantiniketan (West Bengal), and later my art practice and marriage in Gujarat.
Across all these shifts, the only constant has been myself. On one side were restrictions, boundaries, and limitations imposed on women; on the other, in Bengal, I encountered a sense of complete freedom—no visible boundaries, only nature. I spent much of my time immersed in that environment. When I moved to Baroda, the landscape changed again. Initially, I carried certain boundaries within myself, but gradually I began to move beyond them.
Earlier, my world was largely confined to the home; here, I found myself spending more time outside. Even everyday gestures changed—where in some places the dupatta is used to cover the body, here it often covers the face. There was no single common thread across these places—each brought new experiences, new people, and new homes that continued to shape me.
This is why I do not rely on regular geometric forms like squares, rectangles, or circles. Instead, I use irregular and unconventional shapes, reflecting the layered and complex nature of my experiences. Through my own lens, these experiences transform into architectural elements—homes, windows, boats, and doors—each carrying its own distinct form.
The emotional highs and lows of my life are embedded within these structures. Small narratives unfold inside them, and often two phases of myself appear—sometimes as a solitary figure, and at other times as a pair: one representing me, and the other my shadow. Through these relationships, the compositions come together.