I created this series of 6 small paintings during my art residency at Denver Art district on Santa Fe.

In Telugu, ‘Bangaram’ means gold, a symbol of prosperity in India, gifted during weddings. It’s also a common word of endearment. To call someone bangaram is to tell them they are precious to you.

This series centers around a pair of gold earrings my mother gave me before I moved to the U.S. They sit tucked away in a drawer, rarely worn. Sometimes when I get homesick, I take them out. They pull me into a warm feeling of being doted on and loved.

These paintings are a tribute to that connection, an object of love treasured across continents.