About me and CV
I am pooja, a contemporary artist based in Utrecht, the Netherlands. Growing up in India and spending around fourteen years across Asia, including Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, before settling in the Netherlands six years ago has shaped my perspective and visual language. My work takes a contemporary approach to gardens and landscape, with Impressionist influences visible in its attention to colour, texture and atmosphere.
Nature, particularly gardens, landscapes, water, light and seasonal change, is at the heart of my practice. Richly layered landscapes are created using palette knives and impasto to build colour, texture and atmosphere. I often paint en plein air during spring and summer, using these observations as a reference for my studio work, where I combine what I see with memory, emotion and a sense of place. Rather than simply depicting a landscape, the experience of being in nature is allowed to shape the painting. The aim is to create paintings that can stir a personal memory, feeling, or sense of longing in those who experience them.
My connection with the Dutch gardenscapes and painting en plein air led to an invitation from Utrecht City Hall to present my garden series, resulting in my 2025 solo exhibition "Walking through the Summer Garden" at Stadhuis Utrecht.
My artistic thinking is also shaped by music and literature. Susan Sontag, Amrita Pritam and Mary Oliver have influenced how I see freedom, nature and a sense of place - ideas that find expression in my work through colour, atmosphere and memory.
I have exhibited widely across Asia and Europe, and my work is held in private collections in more than 20 countries across Asia, Europe, the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada. My collectors include Dato Jimmy Choo, the High Commission of India and Randstad Malaysia, among others.
Main Group Exhibitions :
2026
Impressionisme - KunstCollege, Theaterzaal De Schakel, Utrecht · 28 August–11 September
Blijft-je-Bij Art Program - Museum Beelden aan Zee · June
Kunstkijk Art Fair - Fort Prins Frederik, Ooltgensplaat, Zeeland · 13–17 May
Kunst in de Dominicuskerk - Utrecht · 27 April
2025
Atelier Route Utrecht - Utrecht West · 18–19 October
Kunstschouw Zeeland - Jacobuskerk, Renesse · 14–22 June
Kunst in de Dominicuskerk - Oog in Al, Utrecht · 27 April
USKK, De Engelenzang - Utrecht · March
2024
Kleur de Stad - Utrecht · December
Watdajel Festival - St Nicolaïkerk, Utrecht · October
Utrechtse Stad Knippers - Gemeentehuis Utrecht · June
KunstRoute - ZIMIHC Theatre Zuilen, Utrecht · June
LandHuis De Stad - Oog in Al, Utrecht · May-July
Affordable Art Fair - Singapore November
2023
PapierVertier — Nederlandse Vereniging voor Papierknipkunst, Galerie Waterbolk, Utrecht · October
Atelier Route Utrecht — September
Kleurenpracht — Museum De Zwarte Tulp, Lisse · May
2022
Watdajel Festival - St nicholai Kerk, October
2021
Arte Pavillion - ILHAMKU - Kuala Lumpur, December
Atelier Route Utrecht - October
Art show at Landhuis de stad - Utrecht, July
KunstMarkt - Molen De Ster, Utrecht , September
Gnani Arts- And She slays the Demon, Singapore
2020
Gnana Gallery, Aqua Peace, Singapore
Gallery Shah Alam- Satu, KualaLumpur
2019
Digital Screen Exhibition - Big apple screen, NewYork
Malaysia Fashion week- White Box Gallery , KualaLumpur
2018
Malaysia Fashion week- White Box Gallery , KualaLumpur
2017
Perak State Museum, Ipoh, Malaysia
2016
ColourLand - Indian Habitat Centre, Visuals Art Gallery, New Delhi, India
2015
Seni Gallery, Mont Kiara, KualaLumpur
Solo Exhibitions -
2027 (upcoming) - From Spring to the Summer (museum hoge woerd ) Utrecht
2025 - Born to Bloom Bright - St Antonius Ziekenhuis, Utrecht. Nov - Jan 2026
2025 - A Walk Through the Summer Garden - Stadhuis Gemeente, Utrecht. October
2025 - De Engelenzang - Utrecht, Netherlands. March
2024 - Whispers of the Water Garden -Galerie Waterbolk, Utrecht, Netherlands September
2023 - Where the Garden Meets the Sea - Galerie Waterbolk, Utrecht, Netherlands. September
2022 - The Secret Garden - Galerie Waterbolk, Utrecht, Netherlands. September
2019 - The Language of Flowers- White Map, Publika, KualaLumpur, Malaysia. March
2018 - A Culture in Quilt – High Commission of India - Indian Cultural Centre- KualaLumpur. June