The Open Studio / Riya
Riya
Legacy of Love
Rows of lipstick kisses under a note full of doubt
A field of mouths in rose and brick red.
Each kiss leaves its small lines like the grain of a leaf.
The pink thins to white where the lips lifted away.
Across it black letters lean forward and wait.
They ask what to do with something already made.
The question dries on the page with the colour.
Nothing answers. The kisses stay.
The work
Riya studies at Guru Nanak Girls College in Yamuna Nagar. In this work she covers a rectangle of pale paper with lipstick kiss marks. They overlap in pinks and deep reds. Over them she writes in black ink pen in a slanted hand. The words ask a simple question about the work itself. Should the lipstick stay as it is after drying? Should something go on top? In her calligraphy Riya repeats letters until she is satisfied. She wants the writing and the decoration to stay in balance.
In the artist’s words
“I wanted to make my work look attractive while keeping the message clear and easy to understand. I tried to keep the design balanced so that the writing and decoration work well together. I had to repeat some letters and designs until I was satisfied with them. It taught me to be patient.”
- Theme
- Doubt in making art
- Material
- Lipstick and ink pen on paper
- Size
- 21 × 14.8 × 270 cm
- Year
- 2026
- Edition
- 1
- Framed
- No
- About the artist
- Guru Nanak Girls College
- From
- Yamuna nagar
- Code
- RC-494
