By Somya Mandal
Art has long been a way to preserve history, tell stories, and express identity. For South Asian artist Sukanya Ayde, painting is all of those things at once. Drawing inspiration from mythology, folklore, history, and the natural world, her work creates immersive worlds where tradition and imagination exist side by side. Through richly detailed compositions, Sukanya demonstrates that South Asian artistic traditions are not relics of the past, but living visual languages that continue to evolve.
Sukanya's artistic journey began with a lifelong fascination for storytelling. "I've always been drawn to visualising different stories and narratives that run through my mind," she shared. Frequent visits to Rajasthan with her parents introduced her to the vibrant colors, architecture, and craftsmanship of Jaipur, experiences that would later become foundational to her artistic practice.
Although Sukanya first studied History at St. Stephen's College before pursuing textiles and fashion design at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, she eventually found herself gravitating toward painting. There, she discovered that painting offered something unique. It gave her the freedom to build entire worlds that blend observation with imagination. "Painting became the medium through which I could most fully explore my fascination with nature, human experience, and the quiet psychological spaces that exist between reality and imagination," she explained.
Much of Sukanya's work is deeply rooted in South Asian artistic traditions. Her paintings feature mythological figures, symbolic animals, historical references, and intricate ornamentation, all woven together into imaginative narratives. Rather than simply recreating traditional imagery, she reinterprets it through a contemporary lens, allowing historical influences to speak to modern audiences.
"My practice is deeply rooted in storytelling, symbolism, ornamentation and the relationship formed between figures and nature," she said. "Rather than existing solely as records of the past, they remain living visual languages capable of generating new narratives and meanings."
This belief gives Sukanya's work a significance that extends far beyond aesthetics. Her paintings encourage viewers to see South Asian history not as something distant or fixed, but as something that continues to grow with each new generation. She embraces the idea that culture evolves just as people do.
For members of the South Asian diaspora, that message carries particular meaning. Many young South Asians navigate the balance between honoring their heritage and building identities shaped by contemporary life. Sukanya believes those two experiences are not in conflict. Instead, they naturally exist together.
"If there is a message I hope my work conveys to the South Asian diaspora," she explained, "it is that just as artistic traditions have evolved over centuries, our identities and ways of engaging with our heritage continue to evolve as well."
Rather than viewing culture as something that must remain unchanged, Sukanya sees it as a living tradition that welcomes reinterpretation. "I believe it is possible to honour where we come from without being confined by it," she said. Through her paintings, she invites viewers to appreciate South Asian history while feeling empowered to shape its future in their own way.
That spirit of creativity is also reflected in her artistic process. Sukanya describes the sketching stage as her favorite part of creating because it allows ideas to develop freely before they become finished works. "The composition is still taking shape and there is a feeling of endless possibilities," she explained. During this stage, she experiments with characters, symbols, landscapes, and animals, watching entirely new stories emerge as these elements interact.
As her career continues to evolve, Sukanya is expanding beyond painting into more tactile artistic mediums. She is increasingly interested in creating physical forms that allow viewers to engage with her imagined worlds in new ways. "Texture has always been an important aspect of my practice," she shared. "There is something deeply satisfying about shaping, building, and giving physical presence to the beings, characters, and imagined worlds that often inhabit my paintings."
Sukanya Ayde's work reminds us that art is not simply about preserving the past. It is about reimagining it. By weaving together history, mythology, personal interpretation, and imagination, she creates paintings that honor South Asia's rich artistic legacy while opening the door to new perspectives. Her work encourages us to embrace culture as something alive, something constantly growing, and something every generation has the opportunity to shape.
In every carefully composed scene, Sukanya demonstrates that history and imagination are not opposites. Together, they become powerful tools for storytelling, cultural connection, and creative expression.