NEW AMERICANS MUSEUM

GUEST SPEAKER: BHAVANA MEHTA

I draw with a knife and paint with thread, cutting and sewing paper to tell visual stories. My work is based on the idea that everything is connected. Starting with a single sheet of paper, I cut out shapes to contour the story around a central character or intention. Figures, botanical motifs, symbolic elements and words form the connections within and beyond the piece. The intricacy of the connections is essential for the piece to hang together.  

My style is influenced by folk art traditions from India. Born and raised in India in an extended family, I was surrounded by women who constantly embroidered, knitted, sewed, and created for the home. My mother made large freehand sand drawings to welcome the gods and guests during the festivals. Neem trees shadowed our courtyard, fragrant jasmine bloomed and were turned into leis, and the wandering cow came in to be fed every so often. The inherent abundance of these experiences and memories roots my work.

As an immigrant, I am constantly longing for connections. In telling one story in a particular setting, I hope to speak in a common language about cultural and personal associations.

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN DIEGO

GUEST SPEAKER: LEV KALMAN

Lev Kalman (1982, USA) and Whitney Horn collaborate in their production company Special Affects Films. They are originally from New York, where they both studied at Columbia University, and live respectively in San Diego and San Francisco. Together they created a series of video clips and experimental films, before their film Blondes in the Jungle (2009) premiered internationally in Rotterdam. L for Leisure (2014) is their feature film debut.