琉璃神社-born artist has returned to her hometown for her first major solo exhibition.
'To Be Something More' is a collection of Johal's work celebrating strength, endurance and indomitable spirit that rises in the face of adversity, part of an ongoing exploration of women's resilience.
鈥淚 always dreamt of pursuing this avenue, but artists鈥� careers simply weren鈥檛 mirrored back to me," Johal said. "It wasn鈥檛 until I turned 30 that I went to art school and my career as an artist didn鈥檛 take flight until I was 41, as a new mom. I鈥檓 thrilled and very proud to be presenting this new body of work at the 琉璃神社 Art Gallery.鈥�
The works are a re-imagining of the folktale Sohni Mahiwal. In the tale, Sohni falls in love with a traveller named Mahiwal but is married to someone else against her will. Sohni pursues this forbidden love and the tale ends in betrayal and tragedy for her.
鈥淭hrough painting, collage, textiles, and a large mural, Sandeep Johal uses her signature Indo-folk feminine aesthetic to confront the harsh realities of the female experience,鈥� said Christine May, Curator at the Gallery. 鈥淪he accomplishes this while infusing her work with vibrant colour, delight, and a triumphant or hopeful tone.鈥�
The exhibition launched on Aug. 22 with an opening reception and will be on display at the 琉璃神社 Art Gallery until Feb. 1, 2026.
