Sunaina Bhalla

About the Artist:

Sunaina is a textile designer by profession, having lived, studied, and worked in Delhi India. She worked with the saree designer Satya Paul , prior to moving to Bangalore in 1994, where she freelanced as a textile designer for various silk export houses, and designer boutiques.

She moved to Japan in 1996 and has since then been involved with Japanese art forms, both formally and informally. She chose to pursue a more detailed study of Nihonga (Literally means Japanese art), and study formally under a reputed sensei for 5 years. Her work ‘Nihonga’ ; the purest Japanese art form -, which drew inspiration from nature and everyday life in Japan, was influenced by her close observation and examination of Japanese tradition, culture which she experiences first hand, living in Tokyo, Japan.

Sunaina relocated to Singapore in 2003, after seven years in Japan , and here again, her style underwent a complete change, influenced greatly by the change in environment and circumstances which reflect in her subject matter and media. From traditional Japanese art to very contemporary socio-economic issues, she uses the traditional motifs of birds to comment on current issues.

She has exhibited her works in Tokyo, Singapore and India. Her second exhibition in the themed series ‘The Rising Sun’ was sponsored by The Japan Foundation as the art representation for the 50 year celebration of Indo -Japan cultural ties. Sunaina is also one of very few non-Japanese artists who have invited to exhibit at Japanese art exhibitions in Japan.

Sunaina currently lives and works in Singapore.