ABOUT JESSIE

Jessie Kanji is a multi-disciplinary artist based in Auckland, New Zealand. Following the migration of her grandparents from Gujarat, India, in the 1940s, Jessie grew up in Wellington. Immersed in diverse influences of Mother Nature, background in medical science, and the rich tapestry of indigenous cultures, her art searches for the balance between order and chaos.

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Patterns in her inner world form the lens by which she sees the world. The external environment continuously shapes and informs this internal lens. Exploring the interconnectedness of life, she plays with the elements of connection, movement, space, and colour. Jessie seamlessly transforms her drawing practice through multiple print processes. Through printmaking, Jessie depicts her experiences with the cultures of Warli, Huichol, and Latin-American people. By drawing inspiration from these ancient ways of life, her work seeks to evoke Bhatta Nayaka’s concept of rasa - a state of complete absorption and emotional resonance.

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