The Reaction in Sheela Gowda Artworks

Sheela Gowda is a contemporary artist living and working in Bangalore. She was born in 1957

The idea of ‘process’ and ‘labour’ in making art is central to her works given her acute engagement with the local traditions of craft and the everyday labour experiences of marginalized communities.

Sheela Gowda Artist Style

The juxtaposition of hair and steel, says Gowda, “is a coming together of fear, superstition, belief and a need for comforting action in the framework of modern life.”

Sheela Gowda Behold

The work invokes sinister bodily references, looping vessels and internal organs, but also the forms of labour by women that are increasingly marginalised and undervalued in present-day India.

Sheela Gowda Behold

The humble materials of the piece reflect the economic deprivation in developing countries, yet their transformation into a starry nightscape reminds us of the universality of hope and aspiration.

Sheela Gowda Darkroom