ARTIST STATEMENT
I paint moments I want to remember: the care in my mother oiling my hair, my great-grandmother’s enigmatic expression, and the light that briefly changes the streets of New York. Painting lets me linger with these experiences. In “JijiMa”, I use an earthy palette and softened details to evoke an aged family photograph. The painting honors the enduring presence of women whose stories continue to shape the generations that follow.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Ariya Mukherjee-Gandhi is a multidisciplinary artist based in New York City. Her work explores memory, identity, ritual, and intergenerational relationships through painting, mixed media, and digital storytelling. Drawing from her South Asian heritage, she is interested in how everyday gestures can function as forms of cultural preservation and emotional connection. She is a Hill Art Foundation Educator and an NYC youth civic leader who creates work that bridges personal narratives with broader cultural conversations. Her artwork has received regional and national recognition through the Scholastic Awards and has been exhibited at The Met, MoMA, the High Line Gallery, and Pelham Art Center.
© Ariya Mukherjee-Gandhi