Rakshaas Dulhan
Rakshaas Dulhan (Monster Bride) is an ongoing series of paintings accompanied by a video piece, exploring power and gender dynamics in Indian wedding culture, a culture with some of the most extravagant and rich traditions. The paintings question the traditional definition of a bride as demure, innocent, delicate and ultimately powerless. The paintings draw on the tradition of Indian miniature painting, Indian mythology, bridal fashion, and modern horror. Painted with jewel tones and sparkling iridescent paint that mimics the gold of bridal jewellery and outfits, they confront the viewer with both beauty and danger, opulence and horror. The video work features cuts taken from Bollywood movies, advertisements, and actual wedding videos all focused on the bride in order to situate the role of a traditional bride.