Cultural identity
Evan Sharma
- Sitter: Ashwin Sharma
- Medium: Gouache on Paper
- Dimensions: 127cm x 59cm
- Representation: This artist represents themselves
About the artwork
The comic strip format of this portrait creates a sense of a story unfolding, a story of being caught between two cultures.
“In this portrait I wanted to capture my brother Ashwin, as he contemplates this in-between world of questions, searching and personal discovery of culture identity.”
In the first image the artist has painted Ashwin peering back with his facial features fully in view and light glowing around his hand. In the next image he walks toward a house but now his facial features are obscured by the light.
“Culturally, we are Australian. We were both born in Brisbane and this is where we have grown up. Although we look Indian, we are culturally far away from that side of our heritage.
“We were never taught Hindi or associated practices and this makes it hard to connect with our history. When we visit our Indian family we feel like outsiders. Likewise, around Australians we don’t completely fit. We find ourselves caught in the in-between. I guess deep down we are Queenslanders.”
The dark, creeping shadows make a familiar suburban scene seem eerie and unknown, but the portrait also has a motion forward, adding a quiet sense of optimism and discovery.
About the artist
Evan Sharma is a young Brisbane based artist, who is in his first year studying animation at Griffith University. His self portrait was highly commended in the Brisbane Portrait Prize Next Gen last year. His mother is British and his father Indian, (Brahmin).
