Artist Statement
Indian-born artist Janavi Mahimtura Folmsbee settled her roots in the beautifully diverse city of Houston, TX in 2012. She has moved between countries, and cities to find her own space in this world, and to hunt for the universal and global connection amongst us. After crossing continents, this hunt has propelled her to continue her search in an element that physically connects us all – water. She is strongly influenced by marine life, drawing abundant inspiration from her experiences with scuba diving expeditions and with the ocean itself. Folmsbee is overloaded with ideas that she brings to life by showcasing them in multiple series.
In her work, Folmsbee creates ethereal, intricate shapes, which she calls characters, that are meant to invite the public into something very private. Her painting intend to take the viewer into the work’s moment of origin. Folmsbee captures various forms of the marin work through linear progression, color, and a visual take on abstract, and representional painting. These characters she conceputally conceives of live in their own world and space, but somehow also exist in ours. Typically, a collection of four or five or her works are installed together to tell a story, transforming the space into her version of ‘Davy Jones’ Locker’, an unreal world for the viewer to be injected into.
This year, Folmsbee has become actively more involved in the marine community by working with conservation organizations such as the Galveston Bay Foundation and Correa Lab, with the hope of creating awareness about the struggles face by the marine world. The works allow the viewer to better understand the hardships of our oceans, and the majestic creatures it holds. She has faith that with art, awareness, and the beauty, we as humans are capable of doing much more for our oceans and our environment.
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