Mountains are psychological spaces for me. In these ancient formations, I find my refuge and purpose, whether in the lap of it or in the studio engrossed in the intuitive process of drawing. The yearning ceases when the mountains appear, almost as though the search is fulfilled. My work investigates mountain bodies in its evolving state by looking far at its physical expanse to looking close at the textures of its ecological surface.

‘For the mountains, by the mountains, of the mountains’ is a research based odyssey that explores montane territories, primarily the Himalaya. It is what waters my art practice. The findings translate into drawings, paintings, installations, performance and conceptual works by adapting unconventional methods. I often find myself driven by an interdisciplinary approach in the process.

Under this farmstead, I harvest the ever-changing realities of mountain environments, constantly questioning their representation and if we should reconsider their names? After all, Himalaya is no longer the "abode of snow," Nilgiris' Neelakurinji flower is red-listed, and the Nyika Plateau no longer holds the water it once did. These contradictions, ever-present and evolving, form the crux of my work, an exploration of mountains’ fragility, transformation, and the tensions.


Hemangini Maharaul is a multidisciplinary artist whose work explores the physicality of mountain bodies and the impact it creates internally, with a particular focus on the Himalaya. Her practice digs into the escalating imbalance between the natural and man made world, reflecting on the collateral damage caused by this orogenic process.

Born in India and currently based in Bangalore, India, Maharaul’s practice is deeply rooted in her research and immersive experiences within the mountains. She spends significant time in different parts of Himalaya and other mountain ranges, engaging with the environment that fuels her creative process.

Her educational background includes a three year diploma programme in Fine Arts from FAD International Academy Pune, India, affiliated to Coventry University. Hemangini has been a part of Live Arts Residency, Apre Art House, Mumbai and Art For Change Residency, Mussoorie. Her recent group exhibitions include ‘Metaphors for Land’, Apre Art House, Mumbai (2024), Inscapes - In Search of a Place’, Gallery Latitude 28, Bikaner House (2023) and ‘The Nature of Difference’, Centre For Imagination, Mussoorie (2023). She contributed as an artist and Speaker for ‘Art for Action’ at Lake of Stars Festival supported by UNDP and EU, Chintheche, Malawi (2019).

Having spent her teenage years in Malawi, Hemangini dedicates her time with outreach projects in Malawi.