Seema Mathew

My artistic ideology is one of constant curiosity, making experimentation the cornerstone of my practice. I perceive art as a bridge between the scientific/rational left brain and the intuitive/emotional right brain, reflecting the internal struggle between control and chaos. The resulting artwork evokes the Taoist philosophy of the union of yin and yang through expressive abstract landscapes. As a self-taught artist, I continuously push myself to discover new ways of artistic expression. After recovering from cancer, I committed to painting full-time, using my practice as a means of introspection to better understand the emotional stresses and traumas associated with the disease. When used, the solid red square is my signature, an adaptation of the traditional Chinese artist’s name stamp.

Seema Mathew was born in 1974 in Bangalore, India. She has been living and working in Hong Kong since 2000. Seema is a self-taught ink and graphite artist and a two-time cancer survivor. In 2014, after recovery from treatment, she took up painting full time to realise her life-long dream of being an artist. Early in Seema’s artistic practice, she accidentally discovered the unique effect of chinese ink on canvas. Seema spent the next 5 years experimenting and researching this medium and developing techniques for it. Since 2020 Seema has been working with water-soluble graphite on linen paper, adapting techniques that she invented for ink on canvas. Seema presents this medium traditionally as framed paintings and also as sculptural objects by enveloping everyday objects with it. The complexity of human relationships and the struggle of the human against the environment, particularly acute in Hong Kong’s crowded urbanscape, are underlying themes in Seema’s work. Of Indian descent, Seema has been based in Hong Kong for over two decades and her art is deeply influenced by her personal experiences and lived environment. Seema’s art is not only visually captivating but also carries a deeper meaning. She explores themes of identity, femininity, spirituality, and the interconnectedness of all living beings. Through her work, she invites viewers to reflect on their own experiences, emotions, and beliefs, creating a bridge between cultures and fostering dialogue. Seema Mathew’s artworks have been exhibited extensively in Hong Kong, UK, Italy, Spain and USA and are in private collections worldwide.