Anakha Nair with her painting at the Cannes Contemporary Art Biennale in France.
A U.S.-based Malayali artist from Ottappalam is making her country proud as the only Indian featured in the prestigious Cannes Contemporary Art Biennale currently under way in France.
Anakha Nair is one of the 50 global artists selected for the Cannes art show being held as part of the Cannes International Film Festival. Being the sole Indian representative, it marks her second appearance at the highly curated global art show. The Cannes show will continue until May 18.
Ms. Nair is exhibiting her powerful new art work titled “Tyche: The Mirror of the Fortune Bearer.” A unique blend of oil, resin and 3-D acrylic, the piece stands as a visual metaphor for resilience, transformation and inner strength.
“This painting is born from life’s circumstances: moments of trials, transformation and resilience. Drawn to the name Tyche, the Greek goddess of fortune, I found inspiration in her symbolism. Yet, I see her not as a distant deity, but as a reflection of the self, an embodiment of the power within us to shape our destiny and create our own fortune,” said Ms. Nair.
Tyche: The Mirror of the Fortune Bearer.
A member of the American Federation of Arts and the International Arts Association, Ms. Nair spoke to The Hindu from the Cannes. “I’m excited to represent my country in the Cannes,” she said.
The International Contemporary Art Cannes Biennale is a museum-quality exhibition curated by the MAMAG Modern Art Museum in collaboration with the PAKS Gallery as part the Cannes Film Festival.
Last year, around the same time, Ms. Nair showcased in the Cannes another artwork, The Golden Salsa Hour, a vibrant piece created with ink, acrylic and golden paint.
Ms. Nair also represented India at the iconic Louvre Museum in Paris last October, showcasing her artwork Home of Fame for Lisa del Giocondo, an oil-on-canvas piece inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa. The painting reimagined the original subject in a modern context.
Ms. Nair, an engineering graduate and product manager at a multinational company in Dallas, has made a name for herself in the U.S. as an artist, dancer, yoga instructor and language trainer.
She is the founder and head of the Kalathrishna Arts Centre in Dallas, Texas, which she established in 2013. The centre has grown to attract students from across the US, Canada, India, and the UAE.
Ms. Nair said that being able to merge her passion and profession was a great blessing.
Published – May 17, 2025 07:55 pm IST