THE ARTWORK: The background, a vintage ledger, serves as a record of transactions—a nod to the commodification of value, including a woman’s worth in patriarchal structures. The bold coral surrounding the figure embodies protection and fertility, juxtaposing the figure’s modern, self-assured stance.
The snail shell at her feet grounds her in cycles of growth and introspection, while the fish above her reinforces the transformative journey. Together, these elements create a layered narrative, questioning how identity is shaped within the constraints of tradition and expectation.
ABOUT THE ARTIST: Born in 1975 in India, Bakula Nayak completed an undergraduate degree in architecture and a master’s of science in communication design from the Pratt Institute, Manhattan. After a long career in the U.S., she moved back to her hometown of Bangalore. With an impassioned curiosity for discovering beauty in the mundane, and a self-taught prowess for line, symbol and narrative composition, Bakula began her journey as an artist in 2013. Bakula weaves together her personal histories with those of others and her work engages with themes of motherhood, reproductive justice, and equality, offering a nuanced commentary on the female experience. She explores themes of synergy between the individual and the collective, processes of art- and meaning-making, the experiences of women as well as contemporary cultural and psycho-social situations. Recently living in Pittsburgh, she has exhibited her work extensively in India, with additional shows in Germany, Canada, and Singapore.
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