Saloni Shah

Saloni Shah is a multi-disciplinary artist who uses the versatility of patterns as a custom language to craft an intricate narration. Born in Mumbai, India, Shah spent her childhood in the UK before traveling to the US for further studies at the Maryland Institute College of Art. Her artwork serves as a reflection of this journey, seeking to introduce accounts from one place to another while simultaneously excavating their convoluted historical relations. A significant facet of her work is discerning the role of the viewer and herself in these narratives via the act of layering in the form of interactive elements. Through addressing the crippling stereotypes and dismissed histories, Shah, owing to detailed research and experimentation, aspires to depict her culture in a respectful manner that expresses contemporary perspectives which contrast from the farfetched labels.

Can you tell us a bit about the process of making your work?

My projects typically commence with extensive research into the history of the patterns that I am dealing with and compiling multiple sources to piece together the timeline of the story I am narrating through the work. I look at a lot of museum collections and current fashion before piecing the final image together. I enjoy spending a lot of time painting the details of the pattern; I grew up surrounded by intricately embroidered and dyed fabrics from all over India which involve a lot of careful labor which I hope to reflect in my own process.

Saloni Shah
”The English Asthetic Movement” Close Up

Tell us more about your work in the show. 

The work in the show is depicts the story of Chintz - the Indian fabric popularized for its vivid colors which unfortunately has a distressing history of transformation and disassociation which is largely neglected. The popular fabric was widely exported from India throughout Europe, however, with the fear of losing profits and protests from locals in their own country, the British Raj banned Chintz and went on to imitate the process. This fabric was stripped of its history and manipulated to be purposefully exotic, leaving behind a trail of suffering for the Indian craftsmen and economy. Nuanced iterations of the iconic motifs continue to emerge in mainstream Western media yet their origins are still extensively disregarded. The pieces in the show render this transformation using the motif of a bird trapped in this cycle of patterns. The work employs and builds on imagery of traditional Chintz contrasted with the English glazed replicas and modern iterations to showcase this timeline and the subsequent shift in power. Each piece focuses on a particular portion of the timeline, combining to form a continuous story unearthing this erasure.

What are some references you draw upon in your work? Are there any themes in particular that you like to focus on when creating?

I refer to the Western Museum collections of Eastern artefacts that been wrongfully acquired and/or displayed in a manner that is evidently exotifying and manipulating the object to be something it was not made to be. I use these findings to highlight the othering that constantly occurs in institutions which then trickles down to everyday instances, generating long-lasting wounds.

Saloni Shah
”Chintz to Chintzy” Close Up

Where are some of your favorite spaces that support contemporary art or design? Now that the art has an online presence, has that changed?

I am really excited about physical and especially online platforms that are emerging to champion artists of color and create a supportive network such as Saag Antholgoy, Savan, NXTHVN, Tessera Arts Collective and of course PGV!!!

Who are some of your favorite artists? Or who has been inspirational recently?

I have been extremely lucky to have had the chance to work with some amazing artists such as Andrea Chung and Jackie Milad who are a constant inspiration. I am also always amazed by Diana-Al-Hadid, Njideka Akunyili Crosby, Saira Wasim, Baseera Khan to just name a few. I highly recommend looking at Gianna Chun’s photography series Neither Here Nor There, it is an extremely special body of work!

Do you have any shows coming up? Anything else you would like to share?

I am extremely thrilled to be a part of a group show juried by Fabiola Delgado called Out Of Hand: Tradition Meets Tech! that will be at the Annmarie Sculpture Garden & Art Center from October 14th to January 22nd.

You can view Saloni Shah’s work as part of Unfolding Pattern on view from October 1st- November 30th, 2022. You can find her on instagram @salonishah_art or visit her website here