GOLDEN AFFECTION

Ragavee, an illustrator who creates bold, vibrant work inspired by my British and Tamil-Sri Lankan heritage. My art reflects the richness of the diverse community around me and is deeply influenced by cultural and social themes from both South Asian and British perspectives. I love combining these influences to create playful, colourful pieces that celebrate identity, heritage, and everyday life.

ON SHOW…

This project is a love letter to Ragavee Balendran’s mother.

Before her mothers passing, her mother had given her collection of gold jewellery, a physical collection of financial security. A tradition passed down in the community of South Asian women, where historically they once had no assets of their own, had used jewellery as a commodity to help invest in any financial crisis. In my mother’s eyes, this was her way of looking after me after her passing. However, for me, this collection was an embodiment of her legacy and a sign of love from my mother.

I created a series of prints highlighting the tradition of passing gold jewellery and the duality of commodity and sentimental value passed through each generation of women. It illustrates the older generations’ view of gold jewellery being sold and used as an emergency fund in a crisis, to the new generations valuing the emotional embodiment of their mother and ancestors. These series of mono prints narrate this embodiment of love from the historical to the current significance gold jewellery has in South Asian women’s lives. 

In memory of Malini Balendran.

Socials - @raggar_b
website: ragavee-b.myportfolio.com/work