Heena Pari is a contemporary artist and homemaker based in New York City and Bangalore. With a distinctive background that spans commerce, fine arts, and domestic responsibility, she stands as an exemplar of how artistic practice can grow within the confines of family life. Her work challenges conventional understandings of gender, home, and identity, rooted deeply in personal experience and cultural context.
Heena Pari: Early Life and Educational Journey
Born and raised in Mumbai in a conservative Gujarati household, Heena Pari was initially guided towards a more traditional academic path. She earned a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Bhavan’s College in 1997. However, a serendipitous encounter with a charcoal drawing class during this time ignited her passion for art. Due to familial and social expectations, she deferred this interest, choosing stability over creativity—at least temporarily.
Marriage and relocation to Bangalore marked a turning point. With encouragement from her husband and in-laws, she revisited her artistic aspirations. Enrolling in the College of Fine Art at Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath, she pursued and completed a BFA in Printmaking in 2008, balancing her studies with motherhood and domestic life.
Artistic Practice and Philosophy
Heena Pari’s work is shaped by her personal journey as a homemaker, wife, and mother. The domestic space is not merely a backdrop but a central subject in her art. Her practice started with small-scale works featuring repetitive patterns—a reflection of the daily, cyclical nature of homemaking. Over time, her methods evolved to include drawing, installation, printmaking, quilting, video, and digital art.
She explains, “Art helps me navigate life and my emotions.” This perspective informs her engagement with themes such as relocation, belonging, identity, and the emotional labor associated with womanhood. Her pieces often serve as visual meditations on what it means to be a woman within and beyond the home.
Her 2022 solo exhibition, Cocooning, held at 1Shanthiroad in Bangalore, encapsulated her evolving practice, highlighting the symbolic value of home as a safe yet complex space. The earlier 2017 exhibition, Breaking the Pattern, questioned the repetitive frameworks imposed on women and homemakers.
Migration and New Horizons
Relocating to New York City in 2022 introduced new dimensions to Heena Pari’s life and practice. Adapting to a new cultural environment was challenging, but she drew strength from her art and found support within the South Asian and wider immigrant artist communities.
Her inclusion in exhibitions such as the Student Salon at the Phyllis Harriman Mason Gallery and All About Play (and other Philosophies) at the Varija Gallery, Dakshina Chitra Museum, demonstrate her growing presence in both Indian and international art circles.
As she navigates her new life, Heena Pari remains committed to building a bridge between Indian artistic practices and broader global audiences. Her vision includes creating a collaborative platform that amplifies Indian contemporary art while fostering engagement with local communities.
Exhibitions and Recognition
Heena Pari has showcased her work across numerous prestigious platforms. Some of her notable solo and group exhibitions include:
Solo Exhibitions:
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2022 – Cocooning, 1Shanthiroad Studio/Gallery, Bangalore
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2017 – Breaking the Pattern, 1Shanthiroad Studio/Gallery, Bangalore
Selected Group Exhibitions:
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2024 – All About Play (and other Philosophies), Dakshina Chitra Museum, Chennai
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2023 – I Rise Edition IX, Art Houz Gallery, Bangalore
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2022 – Living a Dark Night, traveling exhibition across India
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2021 – Drawing The Line, Bangalore
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2020 – Small is Beautiful, Kynkyny Art Gallery, Bangalore (Online)
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2019 – Goa Affordable Art Fest, Museum of Goa
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2017 – Traversing Experiences, Goethe-Institut collaboration
These exhibitions have affirmed her commitment to making art both accessible and socially reflective.
Future Vision and Community Engagement
Looking ahead, Heena Pari aspires to establish a dynamic, community-oriented space for Indian artists in New York. She emphasizes the importance of making art more accessible and integrated into public life. “Art is a very important aspect of life,” she notes, “and it should be available to the public.”
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