Self Portrait Series

2025

This series is an act of self-exploration and cultural affirmation. As the child of immigrant parents, my connection to my cultures and family abroad shifted as I grew up. Now, as I navigate the process of obtaining citizenship and prepare to emigrate myself, I find echoes of my parents’ journeys and a renewed connection to our histories. Creating this body of self-portraits has become a deliberate way to root myself in both my Slovak and Bengali heritage and to reach toward my ancestors with intention.

The Bengali works embody the drama and opulence of desi aesthetics through the red silk fabrics and the gold embellishments. The Slovak pieces reflect a quiet connection to nature through the lush foliage and objects that remind me of home. Each portrait also carries the presence of family and community as my parents and grandparents watch over me within these images. The saree I wear is wrapped with knowledge passed down by my chachis, while the Slovak kroj comes from a local Czech and Slovak cultural society. These gestures ground the work in lived histories, traditions, and kinship across continents.