Yashika Kalra

Yashika Kalra is a self-taught visual artist and brand designer whose work explores
portraiture, conceptual storytelling, and surrealism.
Growing up in Chandigarh, some of her favourite memories were of sitting with her
grandfather at Sukhna Lake, watching local artists sketch portraits. She was
fascinated by how carefully they observed people before putting pencil to paper,
and by how a few quiet moments of looking could become something so accurate
and alive. Those afternoons planted the first seeds of her artistic practice and
taught her the value of observation.
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The city beautiful has always been home, and it has always inspired her. But
returning to it after moving away brought a new perspective. Walking through the
city as someone who knew she would soon have to leave again made every visit
feel more precious and transient. The morning light on Sukhna Lake lingered a little
longer. The bougainvillea seemed brighter and fiercer. Familiar streets, old
trees, and everyday scenes became moments she wanted to hold onto.
This collection was born from that feeling. Each painting began with a walk, a
pause, and a moment she wanted to carry with her.
These paintings are for the people who grew up in Chandigarh and had to move
away. For those who miss the wide familiar roads, the changing seasons, sounds of
birds in the quiet mornings and the music by the lake.
Through these paintings, Yashika hopes to bring viewers, if only for a moment, a
little closer to home.

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