T he artist Siona Benjamin is a Jew from Mumbai who grew up among the predominant Hindu and Muslim societies that make up India. To add to her cultural influences, she was educated in Catholic and Zoroastrian schools. “I have always had to reflect upon the cultural boundary zones in which I have lived,” explains Benjamin, who now lives and paints in New Jersey. “In my paintings I combine the imagery of my past with the role I play in America today, making a mosaic inspired by both Indian/Persian miniature paintings and Sephardic icons.”

Benjamin sees herself as a “trans-cultural artist” and as a bridge between the traditional and the modern. “A transcultural person,” she explains, “is rather like a chameleon, being able to change his/her colors according to the situation and environment.” When she first started painting, the various influences in her life “seemed difficult and unnecessary to apply to my work,” she said. But she learned to embrace her past. “Now I have found a way to use it, to be able to weave current issues and parts of my life in its intricacies, thus making this ornateness strong and meaningful.”

The use of color is among the most striking features of her work. Benjamin has a special fascination with the women of the Torah, as reflected here in her portrayal of Rachel, Leah and Vashti. In addition to the multiplicity of identities, her work explores the contrasts between violence and hope, past oppression and future contentment, personal pain and the redemptive power of art.

Benjamin wants not only to make beautiful art but to change hearts and minds. “I would like my audience to re-evaluate their notions and concepts about identity and race,” she said. “I believe that transculturalism will help in artistic and other ways to be a bridge.” ■