Back to Life: Making Art to Re-Search my Anglo-Indian Heritage

Abstract

In this text, I explore three themes which have surfaced and recurred in my art practice: the representation of mixed-race people, the presence of the colonial past in the neo-colonial present, and how I understand my family history. As an artist, my investigation encompasses two key methods. The first is academic reading. The second is practice-based research, which involves developing ideas and making art in the studio. The discussion focuses on how these activities have complemented and extended pre-existing knowledge of my Anglo-Indian heritage.  My intention is to open a critical dialogue with others about the representation of mixed-race people.