Gaya Chandrasekaran’s artworks are based on the themes of Quest, Soliloquy, Rebirth, and Nirvana - each reflecting pivotal life moments and serving as an expression of her thoughts, emotions, sensations and experiences. As she reflects on and synthesises her experiences, floodgates open for new creative ideas, which she records and revisits for inspiration. Her practice is deeply influenced by the exuberant colours and intricate patterns of her childhood home in India.

She begins each canvas with an idea of what she would like to see, without being entirely sure of the end result. She primes the surface, creates broad outlines of shapes, and arranges her colour palette for ready use. From there, she allows the process to take over and evolve. When using images as reference, she tends to abstract them and use them as a loose starting point.

An avid hiker since childhood, both in India and in the UK, nature brings an added layer of inspiration for Gaya, with landscapes always giving her a sense of expansiveness needed for pause and self-reflection.

She works extensively with acrylics. Creating textured art is an intensely tangible experience that brings the artwork alive for her. She uses palette knives for layering and mixes heavy body acrylics with gel mediums. She also incorporates gold leaf regularly, drawn to its colour and its symbolic power as a representation of abundance. She continues working until she feels excitement and can embrace the artwork unconditionally. The entire process consistently feels cathartic, infusing her with a deep sense of joy and fulfillment.

Over time, she has come to realise that much of individual experience is shared. She intends to give voice to these universal themes — our search for meaning, the constant inner dialogue, transformation and the spiritual lessons, both poignant and difficult, that unfold throughout life.

Gaya Chandrasekaran is a London-based contemporary artist. Born in the coastal city of Chennai, India, her artistic practice is deeply influenced by the vivid colors and rich cultural heritage of her upbringing. Working primarily with acrylics, palette knives, and gold leaf, she creates layered, emotive landscapes that invite quiet introspection and a sense of transcendence.

Gaya has trained in India and at the Slade School of Fine Art in London. Her artworks have been exhibited widely across the UK, US and Europe, with features in prominent art publications such as Contemporary Art Curator, Artist Talk, and ArtistCloseUp magazines.

Her paintings have been reviewed by Tabish Khan, a renowned London art critic, and are held in private collections across the US, UK, Spain, Italy, Brazil, and India - including a permanent display at the London Business School.

Through her abstract landscapes, Gaya explores themes of shared human experience — the search for meaning (Quest), the inner voice of contemplation (Soliloquy), cycles of transformation (Rebirth), and the pursuit of spiritual growth (Nirvana). Her paintings serve as a visual meditation on nature and the profound emotional terrain of life itself.

https://www.cgayas.com/
https://www.instagram.com/cgayasart

Aug 11 Gaya Chandrasekaran

Aug 11 Greg Stirling

Aug 11 Aline Pouget