Tulika Prakash’s first solo exhibition ‘I am the Universe’ explores the connection between human identity and the cosmic world

Tulika Prakash: The exhibition brings together more than 20 collages in vibrant hues made using artisanal fabric. It is a contemplation on the nature of human existence; who we are when we move beyond the boundaries we have been taught to believe in. These thousands of fabric scraps — every piece different in texture, colour, origin and history — are a metaphor for human diversity. No two are the same yet each finds its place, being part of something greater than itself.

 

While I also work with oil, acrylic and mixed media, it is fabric — recycled, embroidered, gifted and worn — that resonates deepest. My journey with fabric, in fact, began by accident. In the early years of my practice, I was working primarily with oils and acrylics. At the same time, I had been collecting outlived artisanal fabrics — silks, brocades, embroidery, mirrorwork — from clothing and home linen, pieces that carried a certain beauty and memory. I held on to them for years, hoping to be able to give them a new life someday. That moment came when my curator and mentor, Stephen Menon, invited me to create a work for a collage exhibition. I asked whether I could experiment with fabric as my medium. What began as an exploration became a turning point — my first fabric collage, The First Kiss, unfolded far beyond what I had imagined. In that moment, everything I had been holding on to — materially and intuitively — found its voice.

Every artist is born out of a desire to express themselves. At the start of my journey, group exhibitions were a wonderful way to put my work out into the world, and I was simply grateful for the opportunity to be seen. As I continued to paint, however, something within me began to shift. My story and message started gaining clarity, and with that came an urgent and growing need to express it in my own way — to let my voice ring out into the world until it couldn’t ignore me anymore.

 

There is a famous poem by Lebanese Philosopher Kahlil Gibran called Fear, whose first line is “it is said that before entering the sea, the river trembles with fear”. As a self-taught artist, there was definitely a phase where the idea of a solo made me freeze. But at some point, the compulsion to express overpowered the fear, and I stood at an emotional point of no return. With the confidence and support of my curator and mentor, I finally felt ready to take that step and produce this solo exhibition. The river realises at the end of Gibran’s poem that it is not about disappearing into the ocean; its journey is towards becoming the ocean.

 

I am a die-hard fan of [Austrian Gustav] Klimt, especially when he was in his Golden Phase. I also deeply admire Italian artist Vittorio Zecchin and Indian artist Seema Kohli. What draws me to all three is how seamlessly they bring ornamental and artisanal influences into their work, while holding a very strong and distinct visual language of their own.

In what now feels like a poetic synchronicity, I was named Tulika, which means ‘paintbrush’ in Sanskrit.

 

I was always artistically inclined, yet it lingered at the margins as a hobby, while my path unfolded into data, economics and strategy. In 2013, I was diagnosed with an autoimmune condition. One difficult night at the hospital, I had repeated lucid dreams of vigorously painting on a large canvas. Vulnerable and shaken at the time, I needed something to hold on to; and this dream felt like a sign from the universe. Painting and meditation became my anchors and sources of healing from then on. During the pandemic lockdowns, I painted and meditated avidly to keep my sanity, pushing my boundaries every day. A series of connections — from my dear friend Sheetal to avid collector Prof Dr Krishna Gopal Rampal and Stephen — began to pave the way and, as the world emerged from Covid-19’s upheaval, I stepped away from the corporate world to become the artist I was always meant to be.

 

I’ve just finished reading It Didn’t Start with You by Mark Volynn. It is a book that investigates generational trauma, and how events that may have occurred several generations back may still be shaping our lives.

 

As an artist who stays cooped up in a studio for long hours, listening is my anchor. I am an avid listener of psychology, history and spiritual podcasts, finding much meaning of life in the triangulation of these disciplines. Among many, The Diary of a CEO by Steven Bartlett, Empire: World History featuring William Dalrymple, and spiritual talks by Sadhguru have been especially helpful in shaping my understanding of life and offering perspectives on the world. Enya’s ethereal music is my favourite go-to when I want to do meditative work.

 

I come from three generations of wandering professionals who made their homes where work was. Besides KL, home is in India, across the cities of Patna and Bangalore.

 

Weekends are my time for connection and rejuvenation after a week of solitude. I am a homebody, hosting a lot of dinners and impromptu gatherings at home. Fortunate to live in a ‘green’ area, I love to spend a lot of time in my garden, talking to my plants (yes, I do), feeding and watching the birds, and listening to the sounds of nature. Occasionally, I enjoy plays, musicals and comedy nights if I can catch them — coupling them with dinners with friends — at the latest hot spots in town.