SUNAINA BHALLA
BIO
Sunaina is a contemporary artist of Indian origin, who lives and works in Singapore.Educated in India, she moved to Tokyo in the late 90’s and has spent the last two decades in various parts of North and South Asia. Having completed her formal education as a textile designer specializing in print, she chose to pursue an immersive education in the traditional art form of Nihonga in Japan, where she spent 5 years studying under Suiko Ohta-sensei of the Kyoshin-Do school. She completed her Masters of Fine Arts degree from Goldsmiths University, London where her thesis topic was ‘The Body and the Ritual of Pain’.
Sunaina has exhibited in Japan, India, Singapore, Europe and the Middle East. Her works are in the permanent collections of the ESSL Museum, Vienna and Mumbai Airports Authority, India, and in various private collections globally. She has also had her works successfully auctioned at the Mainichi Auction in Japan.
ARTIST STATEMENT
Sunaina's work revolves around the repetitive and ritualistic nature of gestures and their traces. She explores the transformative effects of the deliberate infliction of pain on the human body during the curative process of alleviating disease and decay. By using industrial materials analogous to the fragile nature of the body, juxtaposed with fabric and embroidery, she examines the passage of time and the mark making that documents this process. Sunaina is currently researching traditional healing practices in Singapore and South East Asia with a focus on Ayurveda and Traditional Medicine that employ natural remedies like spices and herbs in chronic health conditions like Diabetes and Breast Cancer.
ARTIST CV
2019 Mainichi Auction, Tokyo, Japan- 2 paintings sold
2018 ‘The Ma Project’, Japan Foundation, New Delhi, India
2018 Block Printing workshop, Okada café, Joo Chiat, Singapore (ongoing)
2018 ‘Gaj Mahotsav’ Wildlife Trust of India, Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts ,New Delhi, India
2018 ‘The Ma Project’, Two person show at the Japan Creative Centre, Singapore
2017 ‘16’ Solo show, Art Konsult Gallery, New Delhi, India
2017‘Maybe’, MFA Graduation show. Earl Lu Gallery, Lasalle College of the Arts, Singapore
2017 ‘Block Printing Traditions in India’ Workshop and lecture presentation, Indonesia Institute of the Arts, Yogyakarta
2016 ‘Multi’, Group show in collaboration with KUAD + PROJECT 2016, Kyoto, Japan
2016 ‘Freshly Squeezed’, Group show, Joseph McNally Gallery, Lasalle College of the Arts, Singapore
2015 Workshop on Block Printing conducted at the Kala Ghoda Festival, Mumbai
2014 ‘Confluence of Form’, Solo show, Art Konsult Gallery, New Delhi, India
2014 ‘Gita Govinda ‘ A lecture and dance interpretation of paintings in the theme of this poem, at India House, Singapore
2014 ‘Mela’ A show on Phulkari, curated by Dr Alka Pande, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi
2014 ‘Word,Text,Image…the story of art’, Clarkes Amer, Jaipur,India
2014 ‘The Pink Filly Show’, In aid of the Cancer Foundation, Gallery Art’n Soul, Mumbai
2013 T and T Contemporarian, (in honour of Frederic Brulee Bouabre), Guadalupe, France
2013 Affordable Art Fair, Singapore
2013 Kala Ghoda Festival, Mumbai
2013 Solo show, United Art Fair, Delhi
2013 ‘The Black Frame Project’, Indigo Blue Art Gallery, Singapore
2012 ‘Her Continuing Narratives’, solo show, Gallery Art’n Soul , Mumbai
2012 ‘Parallel Journeys’, Two person show, collateral event during the India Art Fair at the Spanish Cervantes centre
2012 Public Art project, (Horniman Circle), Kala Ghoda Festival, Mumbai
2011 Women’s group show promoting cultural ties between India and Saudi
Arabia, National Museum, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia,.
2010 ‘Under the Banyan Tree, India awakens’ Essl Museum, Vienna
2010 “Where the Streets have no Name” Curated by Dr. Alka Pande for ‘The Salaam Baalak Trust ‘: - New Delhi, Singapore, South Africa
2009 “Journey V” . Group show in aid of Breast Cancer for the NGO ‘Passages’, at Gallery Art’n Soul, Mumbai
2009 “Towards Utopia” Solo show at Gallerie Alternatives, New Delhi and Gallery Art’n Soul, Mumbai
2009 “Colours of Life” . CPAA Annual Exhibition, , Cymroza Gallery, Mumbai
2009 “Creative Intent IV” Gallerie Alternatives’ 10th Anniversary show, Gallerie Alternatives, Gurgaon and The Visual Arts Gallery, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi
2007 “A Silent Comment” Solo show at The Museum Gallery, Mumbai, India
2005 First Singapore Art Show 2005, Singapore “Judges Choice” award for the work titled “Peace-Freedom”, Singapore; Ministry of Communication and the Arts
2005 “Contemporary Showings” An exhibition of contemporary works showcasing six selected South East Asian artists. Merlin Gallery, Singapore
2004 “Individuals” - Two person show with Anthony Tan. The Art Loft Gallery, Alexandra Road, Singapore.
2002 Solo show at The Visual Arts Gallery, Habitat Center, New Delhi, India. Second in the themed series “The Rising Sun”. Focused on creations depicting Pan Asian influences on traditional Japanese Art 2002 Solo show at Art Folio gallery, Chandigarh
1999-2003 Four Group shows in Tokyo, Japan; One of few non-Japanese artists invited to participate in exhibitions of Japanese art in Tokyo, Japan
2001 Solo show of Nihonga. The first in a two part themed series : “The Rising Sun”. Focused on creations depicting Pan Asian influences on traditional Japanese Art. The ANZ Gallery, Mumbai,
COLLECTIONS/COMMISSIONS
The ESSL Museum Vienna, Austria
Mumbai Airports Authority India
The Godrej Collection India
The Piramal Collection India
Other Private Collections Japan, Hong Kong, India, Singapore
ARTWORK
