Feminine power, sexuality and Indian mythology feature in Osheen Siva's vibrant illustrations

Osheen Siva is an illustrator and muralist based in Goa, India who loves to explore themes of femininity, sexuality and the "representation of the marginalised in the Indian context".

Written By: Katy Cowan

5 August 2020

Through surrealism, speculative fiction and science fiction, and with designs rooted in mythologies and her Tamilian heritage, Osheen imagines "new worlds of post-colonial dreamscapes, futuristic oasis and narratives of feminine power generally lacking in popular art and culture".

Having grown up in a mixed environment between Taiwan, China and India, her works strive to decipher the question of identity and belonging. Osheen experiments with digital as well as traditional mediums and her recent clients include The New Yorker, Vans, Converse, Levi's, and Verve Magazine.

We love her recent poster design to highlight Menstrual Hygiene Day 2020, nodding to the Hindu pantheon, Kali – the goddess with many arms, usually carrying a sword and a severed man's head – in this case, the sword becomes a menstrual cup (because what else does a girl need?). Describing the work, Osheen says: "Kali is one of the most eminent goddesses in Indian mythology and is considered to be a strong mother-figure and symbolic of motherly-love. Kali also embodies 'shakti'- feminine energy, creativity and fertility."

There's also her gorgeous typographic-led zine on How to Deal, that is "with the sticky situations of the mundane everyday". Not something we'd have thought entered her mind when browsing through her latest work.

Recent murals include Providers & Protectors, a mural in Tamil for St+art India Festival Chennai 2020 – it's a homage to the "dual role women play in the sustenance of an economy – both as providers and protectors of households and society," Osheen says. And there's a mural made during the Museum Next Door residency at Jeju Island, South Korea, "The artwork was solely inspired by Korean elements such as the traditional dance Buchaechum (classical fan dance usually performed by female dancers), Eoyeo meori hair and rhino beetles found in the region of Jeju."

Discover more of Osheen's work via Behance, Instagram or by visiting her website at osheensiva.com.