Between Two Worlds: Storytelling and Artwork by Shachi Kale

In 2000, after living her whole life in the bustling city of Mumbai, India, Shachi Kale relocated to the suburban sprawl of Chandler, Arizona. While the adventure of moving 8,800 miles away was thrilling and exciting, the transition hit her like a tidal wave. To cope with her emotions, Kale began creating intricately detailed drawings and paintings, exploring her own experience through the lens of Western fairytale characters. Throughout her daily life in the early years, Kale experienced Rapunzel’s isolation, Alice’s emotional tumble down the rabbit hole, and Cinderella’s domestic alienation – all of which she put down on paper. Fortunately, as happens in fairytales, Kale found fairy godmothers and godfathers who helped her adapt, assimilate, and overcome the difficulties of making a new home. This fantastical exhibition explores her journey from surviving to thriving in Chandler, Arizona.

Image: Shachi Kale, Suspended Between Two Worlds, Alice Hadn’t Anticipated A Prickly Landing. It Was All Getting Curiouser And Curiouser (Detail)

Exhibition Photos