Manasa is a San Francisco-based interdisciplinary artist whose work delves into the complexities of identity, mental health, and the environments that shape us. Originally from India, her practice spans painting, video, sound, installation and performance, with a focus on challenging narratives around womanhood, belonging, and the constant tension between nature and nurture.
Her work reflects her lived experiences and explores the push and pull between tradition and change, as well as the environments that shape identity. Through her travels and interactions, she finds commonalities that highlight shared human experiences.
An ongoing investigation into the 'divine feminine' runs through her projects, where she confronts longstanding societal issues surrounding womanhood. Through deeply personal themes, including anxiety and depression, she uses her art to give voice to silenced emotions and experiences. Manasa’s interactive projects invite the viewer to participate, encouraging dialogue through movement, gesture, and elements from her childhood that gently raise subjects often left unspoken.
Guided by intuition, she incorporates found objects and materials, layering them with sound and performance to create immersive, tactile experiences. Whether working through self-portraits or durational performances, her art evokes emotion, thought, and reaction, creating spaces for connection and reflection.
Her ongoing project, The Backyard Plague, is a community-based art initiative that showcases diverse voices in unconventional spaces, promoting accessibility and inclusivity. Her work has been exhibited in galleries and alternative venues, breaking traditional boundaries to provide a platform for underrepresented voices.