Shana Sood is a self-taught, late-blooming artist with roots in India and a home in the U.S. Her distinct style began to take shape only in her late thirties, deeply influenced by her Indian heritage. Born and raised in New Delhi, she lived there before moving to the United States in 2005.
Through her art, Shana explores her own romanticism and seeks to bridge the cultural divide between her Indian upbringing and her American experiences. She aims to enrich both Indian and American art scenes by expanding their emotional and cultural dimensions. Her portraits reflect stories of the people she has encountered along the way, inviting viewers to engage in a deeper conversation about the subtle differences—and shared experiences—between cultures. These works are designed to stand as individual pieces, sparking curiosity and dialogue about the complexities of relationships and identity.
Shana’s work has been featured in exhibitions at renowned New England galleries such as the North Shore Arts Association, Arlington Center for the Arts, and Marblehead Arts Association. In January 2021, she became one of the anchor artists at The Patriot Place Art Gallery (a co-op) near Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
As an Indian artist residing in Massachusetts, she finds inspiration in the vibrant mosaic of art and culture that surrounds her, as well as the open-mindedness toward diverse artistic styles. This environment has played a crucial role in nurturing her unique artistic expression without confining it within any predetermined boundaries. Over the years, her work has been showcased at esteemed galleries and art centers across New England, including Arlington, Marblehead, and Plymouth. However, the most fulfilling experience came from serving as an anchor artist at the Patriot Place Art Gallery in Foxboro for four years until its closure in 2024. Immersed in a community of fellow artists and surrounded by inspiring creations, she has had the opportunity to learn from exceptional talents along the way. While she has gained valuable insights from these encounters, she continuously strives to infuse her own distinct style into her artwork, seeking to evolve her artistic expression and venture beyond her current capabilities and perspective.
Much of her work revolves around Indian womanhood, as this subject closely aligns with her own lived experiences and serves as the truest passage to her identity. The women in her paintings act as both muses and storytellers. Reflecting on feedback from viewers, she realizes that, regardless of the various avatars her subjects take, they consistently appear self-sufficient and complete in themselves. Her subjects also serve as silent carriers of her own biases and struggles with growing up as a woman in India, helping her challenge stereotypes and invite viewers to confront the complexities of gender dynamics within Indian society. The choice to depict women in traditional Indian attire is intentional, capturing the cultural legacy embodied in these garments while simultaneously challenging stereotypes and celebrating the diversity of women’s experiences. While adorned in traditional clothing, these women exude independence, modernity, and individuality, demonstrating that seemingly conservative traditions and contemporary identities can coexist harmoniously.
A deep red hue frequently appears in her recent works, serving as a powerful conduit between reality and nostalgic imagination. As a diasporic artist, this color evokes a deep connection to her homeland, conveying not just passion and fury but also a complex web of memories and cultural associations. In Indian culture, red ignites a divine spark. It is often associated with weddings, where traditional Hindu brides still wear red on their wedding day. The color is also linked to the base chakra, or mooladhara, which ties individuals to Mother Earth and survival instincts. Furthermore, feminine power, or Shakti—the Divine Goddess Herself—is associated with red. The fearsome Goddess Kali’s tongue bears this hue, signifying anger, power, passion, blood, and feminine mysticism. Contradictorily, red also represents love, particularly maternal love, which is as passionate, if not more so, than other forms of love.
Across multiple cultures, including Indian culture, women navigate a multitude of tasks and responsibilities, seamlessly transitioning between strength and tenderness in their daily lives. This juxtaposition is not a contradiction but rather a tribute to the complexity and richness of womanhood. This power is what she taps into when creating her work, hoping to convey it through her lines, colors, and format. Her art embodies both the long-established and the modern, reflecting the duality of existence as a woman who inhabits a space filled with elements of both. While there is a natural inclination toward progress, there is also a desire to cling to time-honored rituals—at least those that are fair and equitable. A certain sense of belonging is ingrained in the diaspora experience, and this element is reflected in her work, bridging the past and the present, tradition and modernity, nostalgia and progress.
Selected Exhibitions:
- Marblehead Arts Association: Artists’ Juried Show 2024; Variations 2021
- Art Gallery at Patriot Place: Inducted in 2021 as one of eight anchor artists
- Arlington Center for the Arts: Created Equal 2020 – Painting selected: Migrant Mother and Child (oil on canvas)
- North Shore Art Association: Bi-annual Associate Member Show 2018 – Paintings selected: Three Women & My Son’s Portrait (oil on canvas)
