Autobiography: India (Lakshmi) 1984

Howardena Pindell made this piece, Autobiography: India (Lakshmi), by collaging printed material and paint. It’s a real mash-up, and I love that! Look at how she layers those fragments— bits of architecture, landscape, and devotional images. She’s not trying to hide the process; each piece is clearly distinct, creating a textured, almost topographical surface. The way she combines images is like visual thinking, one thing leading to another. The central image of Lakshmi is really striking. It’s got this serene, otherworldly quality, but the collage around it makes the image feel so immediate and personal. It is like Pindell is making connections between personal history, culture, and spirituality. It puts me in mind of Hannah Höch and her photomontage, who also combined images in surprising ways to create new meanings. Ultimately, this piece is a reminder that art is an ongoing conversation.