Kriti Mahtab

I enjoy experimenting with a variety of media such as paint, graphite, video, and sound to create works with genuine narratives that grapple with the multi-faceted nature of self-identity. The art-making I engage in is an exploration of my own identity and the socio-political world with which I interact. For the BA thesis exhibition, I’ve chosen to explore the themes of fading memories and internalized racism. While these themes are disparate, I believe they both play a significant role in the construction of identities.

Memories of past experiences, and the nostalgia or distaste we might have for them, play a role in how we perceive ourselves in the present. However, as we move forward in time away from actual experiences, the memories warp, and fragment. I’m interested in the disconnect this creates between the past self and the present self.

I am also interested in the specific internalized racism prevalent in the South Asian community, which has both fueled and been fueled by the fairness cream industry. I hope to continue to explore the everyday nature of the trauma associated with colonialism, immigration, and internalized racism, and how it complicates the select privileges of being South Asian in America.