Shrunga Malavalli, born in 1996 in West Virginia, and raised in Bangalore, India, currently resides in Seattle, Washington. She is an emerging self-taught artist whose self-expression reflects her multidisciplinary and multicultural background. Having only started painting as recently as 2020, Malavalli transitioned out of her career in the tech industry and fully into her life as an artist in 2023. Her work, often described as “insistently and unabashedly emotional”, is fast gaining her recognition for her emotive subjects and the captivating blend of abstraction and realism. She draws inspiration from the rich tapestry of her Indian heritage, her experiences as an immigrant forever lost and found between worlds and the lessons she has learned through navigating a multicultural world where personal identity is constantly in a state of transformation.
Utilizing a diverse range of mediums on canvas and canvas panel, the artist primarily works with oil and acrylic paint, supplemented by inks, charcoal, molding paste, cold wax, and other materials to infuse energy, texture, and expressiveness into the artwork. Malavalli's art embodies a unique language that eloquently conveys her emotional depth born out of an early life shaped by deep personal loss and upheaval. Her vibrant expression through her work is a reflection of her personal journey of strength, resilience and the bravery to start anew.
Themes of reclaiming femininity, drawing strength and determination from within the soul, reconnecting with the natural world and its rhythms, and finding beauty in the melancholy and yearning that are constant companions on the journey weave their way throughout her paintings. Her work has received acclaim for its emotional, ethereal and contemplative qualities.
Shrunga also uses narrative as a framing device to draw viewers into the work of art. A huge inspiration of her work is the oral tradition of mythological storytelling in India, passed to her through her grandfather. The realistic, literal elements serve to ground the viewer in time and place, conveying the sense of a history and a future for the visual narrative that is unfolding on the canvas. The abstract components then encourage them to transcend form and discover their connection to the spirit of the piece, a story that can be completed only through their participation.
Despite her emerging status, Shrunga Malavalli's artistry has attracted the attention of collectors, both nationally and internationally, seeking new diverse voices that have long gone underrepresented in art. Her contributions to the vibrant art scene of the greater Seattle area reflect a promising young artist poised to make a significant impact in the evolving landscape of contemporary art, bridging cultures and providing a fresh powerful young voice to speak to the experience of the Indian diaspora in today’s America.
Artist’s CV
Born in 1996 in Clarksburg, West Virginia, USA
Resides and works in Seattle, Washington, USA
Selected exhibitions:
2021 Microsoft Give Auction, Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA, USA
2022 Microsoft Give Auction, Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA, USA
2022 Microsoft Juried Employee Art Exhibition, Microsoft Corporation, Redmond WA, USA
2023 TrapX Art Fair, represented by TrapX Artist Collective, Seattle, WA, USA
2023 Winter Show 2023, Park Lane Gallery, Kirkland, WA, USA
2024 Artist Salon Show 2024, Park Lane Gallery, Kirkland, WA, USA
2024 “Love Breakups Relationships” Belltown Art walk, Design Within Reach, Seattle, WA, USA
2024 32nd Annual International Juried Miniature Show, Parklane Gallery, Kirkland, WA, USA
2024 The Gardens at Town Square art exhibition, Redmond, WA, USA
Selected collections:
Shrunga Malavalli is collected by various private collectors in USA, Canada and India
Dealer directory (represented by):
Parklane Gallery
130 Park Lane
Kirkland, WA 98033
parklanegallery.org / info@parklanegallery.org / 425-827-1462