Aditi Rajan
Aditi Rajan grew up in a household that valued education, responsibility, and stability, while art and writing were understood primarily as personal pursuits rather than viable professions. Although her creative abilities were recognized, they were not actively encouraged as a career path, especially amid financial constraints that required practical choices. Within that environment, creativity became a private refuge, something she nurtured quietly even when it was not fully understood.
Her interest in art and writing was strengthened through school, where her sensitivity and way of observing the world were noticed and affirmed. Rajan has long carried emotions and reflections that did not easily translate into conversation. Close observation and deep feeling became her natural modes of engagement, and over time, art and writing emerged as languages that allowed her to preserve her inner perspective while continuing forward in life.
Rajan does not have formal training in art, writing, or literature. She completed a Bachelor of Commerce, supporting herself through tutoring while prioritizing financial stability. Choosing a creative career at that stage felt unrealistic and even selfish. Still, creativity continued to develop alongside her academic and professional life, sustained by supportive people and timely opportunities that appeared when she needed them most.
Her creative process is intuitive rather than structured. It often begins with stillness through meditation or quiet observation, allowing thoughts and emotions to surface without force. Writing usually comes first, followed by visual work. Paintings evolve as extensions of the same internal inquiry explored through words, with each medium informing the other. Her surroundings play a significant role, particularly moments marked by silence, transition, or emotional absence.
Living between cultures and spaces has heightened her awareness of invisible boundaries that shape everyday life. These reflections appear visually through recurring elements such as checks, checkerboards, blocks, and lines, which function as metaphors for social structures, emotional limits, and constraints placed on authenticity. Rather than illustrating scenes, Rajan aims to create work that holds quiet messages, inviting viewers to confront emotional and social voids without judgment. She is especially concerned with how art has been reduced to décor and seeks to restore a sense of depth and meaning within everyday viewing.
At its core, Rajan’s work is about returning to authenticity. She examines the patterns, both external and internal, that cause people to shrink themselves in order to be accepted. In works such as Mansamwad, she reflects on how perceived judgment and the desire for approval can distance individuals from their inner truth. Her practice gently challenges these patterns, encouraging reflection rather than critique. Writing and painting became her voice during a period when she could no longer pretend or suppress her inner life, and through that courage, she found a sense of freedom.
Success, for Rajan, is measured by purpose and inner harmony rather than recognition alone. Reclaiming a sense of self through creative expression has been the most fulfilling part of her journey. She values slowing down, stepping away from constant competition, and finding peace in creative alignment. Looking forward, she hopes to bring her work to larger platforms and connect with people across perspectives, fostering dialogue through art and poetry.
Her personal life is inseparable from her practice. Each visual work is paired with a poem in Hindi, allowing art and language to exist both independently and as a unified expression. Collaboration remains important to her, particularly with artists and writers who share a commitment to authenticity. Recent opportunities, including being featured by Artist Closeup Blog and exhibiting digitally with Artboxy in Paris, have strengthened her confidence and affirmed the value of being seen and understood.
Through her work, Rajan hopes to remind viewers that creativity holds its greatest power when rooted in truth, reflecting who we are rather than who we are expected to be.
