Do We See us?
As an Indian living in South Africa, Shadai’s work explores the diaspora experience — the fragments of culture we hold onto, passed down from grandparents, while much of it slips away. Through the use of old sarees layered with acrylic on board, she weaves together memory, fashion, and humor to reflect how identity is preserved in small, symbolic gestures.
Alter Egos
Shadai’s series of chimp and monkey paintings presents them as playful yet profound alter egos — mirrors of instinct, wit, and vulnerability. Each figure stands in for shifting identities, revealing humor, rebellion, and tenderness. Through expressive gestures and watchful eyes, these creatures embody the complexity of human experience, offering raw reflections of the artist’s inner world. More than animals on canvas, they are mischievous companions in self-exploration, blurring the line between the personal and the universal.
Mary’s Gold
Raised within Christianity, the artist’s imagination was shaped by biblical narratives and the rituals of church life. Yet Hinduism, the faith of those closest to her, has always been present, woven into ceremonies, offerings, and everyday devotion. The marigold becomes the meeting point of these traditions. In Hindu practice, it adorns gods, thresholds, and moments of both celebration and mourning. In Christianity, its name, “Mary’s Gold,” recalls the Virgin Mary and the humble offerings of blossoms in place of wealth. This dual resonance reflects the artist’s lived tension between faiths and cultures. The marigold is neither confined to one tradition nor stripped of meaning; instead, it becomes a symbol of offering, transformation, and resilience that bridges worlds. In Mary’s Gold, three interconnected paintings reimagine sacred stories through this lens. An Offering reflects the quiet strength of devotion; The Rise of Women reframes the Fall as empowerment; Turning Marigolds into Wine evokes divine transmutation. Together, they meditate on devotion, femininity, and the possibility of transformation when Christianity and Hinduism are held in dialogue. The marigold, luminous and humble, stands as a reminder that faith is often lived in relationship, between traditions, between cultures, and between those we love.
