Rajkamal Kahlon

For the American artist Rajkamal Kahlon, drawing and painting are not merely artistic media, but a means of aesthetic and political resistance. Ethnographic, stereotyped depictions—most originating from the heyday of colonialism—serve as the starting point for her work. She paints over and radically transforms these images, thereby deconstructing the pictorial narratives that emerged in the deceptive light of scientific objectivity as a central component of colonial rule, countering them with beauty, humor, and sensuality. Through the act of painting as a form of radical care, the people depicted can reclaim their dignity. This catalogue documents a selection of works from over twenty years of Kahlon’s artistic practice. In addition to comprehensive visual material, the publication features three new essays, as well as an extensive interview with the artist.