This collective of painters became close friends during their classes in college. But why the title “No Karan”? While the rest of this group remained local after graduation, Karan returned to his home country of the United Arab Emirates. In making this body of work and planning this group show, his absence was felt strongly among the remaining members of the group. Together they decided the binding factor for this show is that empty spot he left.
A bit about each artist:
Through a self-reflective lens, Molly’s work explores the relationship between memory and identity through the use of everyday objects, symmetry, and symbolism. Every element in her work is carefully curated from her current surroundings and past memories in an effort to document her life and preserve her memories. Her paintings are an exercise in memory recall and a search for everlasting identity for both the audience and the artist herself.
After graduation, Karan moved back home, and is working as an engineer in the United Arab Emirates. He paints and creates in his spare time, while still making time to talk to the rest of the group, and making sure to send pictures of his new dog, Bruno. His move inspired part of the show’s title, “No Karan,” as he is the first one to leave Indianapolis. The four of us who remained stateside, also have a groupchat with the same name.
Becky’s work focuses on her personal neurosises over things that have happened to her and her outlook on life. Oil paintings of pop culture imagery and cultural symbols layered in a surrealist collage are used to discuss her topics of interest from a multifaceted perspective.
Mailinh Ho’s work explores the complexities of contemporary identity through playful iconography and portraiture. Through her self-portraiture she encourages the viewer to examine the contemporary dynamics of race and gender as a result of diaspora through her experience as a first generation Vietnamese-American. Rather than reject either side of herself, her work seeks to reconcile her Vietnamese heritage and American upbringing and celebrate the two together.
Pim’s work focuses on her superstitious Thai culture and its belief in animistic traditions.  Her work mainly dwells in the exploration of the unseen forces, and how reliant one can be in the supernatural. Through her play with textile and subtle hints of symbolism, she wishes her audience to wonder beyond the other side with her.