Art Mediums: Printmaking, Collage, Encaustic, Installation, Public Art

www.kamlakakaria.wordpress.com

I am a first-generation American of East Indian descent. I attended college part-time for many years as a single working mother and received a BFA in painting and an MFA in printmaking. I work in painting, printmaking, collage, installation work, and recently in Public Art. My experiences of growing up in an Indian household and traveling to India have had a profound influence on my work. Several years ago, with my series titled ‘Embracing my Indianess,’ my point of view as a US American and an East Indian was manifested. The colors, sounds, and smells, as well as art and craftwork, are part of the visual narrative of who I am. I am inspired by the materials I choose for my work. I aspire to have a direct visceral connection to my materials. In my featured collages titled ‘Sheltering in Place’ and ‘Hiding in Plain Sight,’ I used hundreds of bits and pieces of prints I had previously made to create new, larger works.

“The symbiosis between movement and energy creates an inseparable relationship that permeates my work, rooted in my fascination with the vibrations and dynamics of people, objects, and nature. I create variations of gestures using traditional and modern styles that embody and translate this concept into visual art with paint and drawing. I depict the bond between the flow of energy and the chaos of movement, allowing the viewer to expand their awareness. My paintings abstract from intimate moments and reveal a universe of interpretations.”

“The series presented in this body of work, ‘Hiding in Plain Sight,’ is a continuation of ‘Embracing my Indianess.’ I am addressing my role in the coming out of non-white voices that I believe are so necessary to talk honestly about art making in the United States today.”

“The BIPOC movement of people like myself has helped me understand and voice the influence of my cultural background in everything I make. A while back, I worked on a long series titled, ‘Embracing my Indianess,’ where my point of view was loud (for me). It helped me begin letting go of the deep frustration I have held with white people taking my culture to whitewash and appropriate.”

“It is important that I have a clear connection to my inspiration or motivation. Sometimes, there is a hint in the title which may or may not inform the viewer.”

“I am very connected to and inspired by materials. I usually need to have a direct, visceral connection to my materials. In my collages, I used bits and pieces from previous prints on rag paper. Authenticity is necessary for me to create art.”

“Having those of us who, like me, are from ‘third world’ countries taken seriously shifts the narrative of what US art is. There is more room for future generations to participate in areas of the art world that traditionally ignored non-white people, most notably Black and Indigenous peoples.”

“My experience of growing up in an Indian household, as well as traveling to India, has had a profound influence on my work. The colors, sounds, and smells, as well as the craftwork—especially fabric patterns—I see in all of my work. When I was young, I didn’t realize this influence.”