2019-project-Michelle-Poonawalla

Following the successful reception of her multimedia installation Introspection, which was first exhibited as a collateral project at the Kochi-Muziris Biennale 2018 and then at Alserkal Avenue, Dubai in during Art Week Dubai in March 2019, Michelle Poonawalla brings the project to START Art Fair 2019, London. The installation will be accompanied by a separate exhibit of Poonawalla’s recent paintings that encapsulate her varied practice.

Introspection was born from a sense of discomfort and unease with the way images of violence and displacement are consumed today, in endless news cycles. Developing on her experiments with digital technology, with this piece, Poonawalla turns to sound, using a combination of audio clips from newsreels and ambient sounds, combining these with motion sensor technology and digitally mapped visuals to create an uncanny sensorium. The end result is a work of art that creates an intense immersive experience, which the artist hopes, will push the audience into a contemplative space.

Growing up between the UK and India, art has always been an integral part of Michelle Poonawalla’s life. With a graduate degree in Interior Design and a Bachelor of Arts from the American College, London, Poonawalla’s practice formalised with her exhibition in 2016 at the Gateway School, Mumbai, for which she worked closely with special needs students. She has since exhibited her work in solo and group shows in India and internationally. Poonawalla’s practice marries a more classic paint on canvas style with her experiments with digital technology, particularly digital video mapping and motion sensor technology, to create interactive works that push the boundaries of conventional painting.

Michelle Poonawalla’s key exhibitions include Khushi - India On Canvas in conjunction with Sotheby's, New Delhi, 2017; India Art Story, Kolkata, 2017; Elephant Parade Delhi, Mumbai and London, 2017 and 2018; What If You Fly, a solo exhibition at Vis A Vis Gallery, New Delhi and Spazio Gallery, Pune, 2018; Moving into the Future - Harvest 2018, a group exhibition at Stainless Gallery, New Delhi, 2018; a project at the Parma Art Fair, Italy with Gallery Marco Antonio Patrizio, 2018; Born Free at Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai, 2018 and Introspection, exhibited as a collateral project at Kochi-Muziris Biennale 2018 and at Alserkal Avenue, Dubai for Art Week Dubai in March 2019.