Some of You, Some of Me
Durga K.
Gouache, Pen, Pencil
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I used to believe my identity as an Indian-American seamless, perfectly half-and-half. After a trip to India, I realized that I was not as connected to my heritage as I thought I was-- I could hardly understand the language and I knew very little about my culture. I strove to be the ideal Indian-American, and dove into Indian food, clothing, and language. I tried to emulate my mother to recover cultural likeness. Eventually, I became overwhelmed by the sheer volume of it all, and my attempts at immersion had polarized myself into "me as an American" and "me as an Indian"-- I ended up feeling out-of-place both in America and in India. I now return to both "mes" to reform a more whole identity once again. This piece depicts the struggle of this feat as I reconcile with all of my experiences.
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Creativity is the emulation of your mind on paper, unbridled by the expectations of anything but your heart. To me, I find the expression of true experiences and ideas through the lens of the imagination and the love poured through the brush to be the most genuine product of creativity.
