Nirmal Raja is an interdisciplinary artist and associate lecturer at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. She was born in India and received her BA in English Literature from St. Francis College in Hyderabad (1989). After migrating to this country in 1991, she obtained a Diploma in Graphic Design from Moore College of Art (1997), a BFA in Painting from the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (2008) and an MFA from University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee (2012).
Working in traditional and new media, Nirmal’s work is inspired by the idea of “home” and explores the complexities of East/West dichotomy. Universal concepts of time, change and memory that are usually exaggerated in the immigrant experience have gained prominence in her work recently, making the work reach across cultural boundaries.
Nirmal has exhibited nationally in Richmond, VA (Art 6), Parkridge, IL (Brickton Art Center), Queens, NY (Crossing Art), North Selam, NY (Hammond Museum), throughout Wisconsin and also in Hyderabad and Bangalore, in India. Starting in September of 2013, she will be a resident mentor at Redline Milwukee, a community based arts organization and studio.
Nirmal received a grant from the Wisconsin Arts Board for a show at Redline in 2014 along with my fellow artist, Dara Larson. She also co-curated a show at the Villa Terrace Museum of Decorative Arts in Milwaukee, which opened May 3, 2013.
Learn more about Nirmal and her work by visiting her website, www.nirmalraja.com.
