Nehal Verma

(b. 1998, Sambhar Lake, Rajasthan)

"As a painter, my craft revolves around providing a canvas for intangible experiences to take form. I aspire to manifest a mysterious realm where hidden memories, unspoken fears, and simmering anger are transmuted into tangible entities. Through my work, these emotions find a physical presence, turning the abstract into something palpable. This series explores the nature of illegibility, presenting mysteries not as puzzles to solve but as experiences to feel, embracing the unknown and unsolved.

Studying glasses for a few months shifted my perception of mediums, spaces, arrangements, assortments, transparency, darkness, and light. In the series, glasses are not just subjects, but also the characters, chosen for their fragility, transparency, and ability to provide a non-linear narrative. They can narrate to the visitor through that space.

I started working on this series a few years ago. Through my works, I visually deal with and materialise psychological pain, exploring my perception and tolerance of it, and trying to understand how emotions and their intensities differ for me. This series focuses on the topics I grapple with daily and that occupy most of my thoughts."

Nehal Verma completed her BVA and MVA from Rajasthan University in 2020 and 2022 respectively. Her practice centres on giving form to intangible experiences, exploring the themes of illegibility, emotional depth, and psychological pain. Drawing inspiration from the characteristics of glasses—fragile, transparent, and capable of refracting light—her works challenge linear understanding. Through her ongoing exploration, she confronts and visually expresses psychological pain, exploring her perseverance and unique experience of emotions and their intensities. The series focuses on themes deeply rooted in her daily life and personal contemplations, offering an exploration of her inner world. Her works have been a part of various exhibitions including, 'Hiding The Specifics' solo exhibition cursed by Manish Sharma, Ravindra Manch, Jaipur (2024); 'Beneath the Surface', Method, Mumbai (2023); Jaipur Art Week (2023), the Students Biennale, Kochi-Muziris Biennale Foundation (2022-23); 39th State Award, Student Category, Lalit Kala Academy (2018), among others.

Nehal currently lives and works in Jaipur.

Nehal Verma

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