Mehndi 9 (from Eva series)

In the photographic series, Eva, the artist discusses the implications of framing his wife within his own identity questions. He does this directly onto his wife’s body with Mehndi - the impermanent pigment, which since 2004 Hetain has used as metaphor for his displaced heritage. The markings include a failed love letter, searching for a way to frame his life with hers through examining ideas of self. The absence of traditional henna patterning highlights the artist’s feeling of being unqualified to pass on anything authentically Indian to his wife.

Though produced in collaboration with his wife, she appears in the photographs further towards object than subject. The series marks the beginnings of a negotiation between the artist and his wife, herself a curator. The framing can be perceived with a sinister undertone as Hetain’s clothed male figure sits within the same domestic setting as his unclothed wife.

The workspace of the studio and that of the domestic environment appear simultaneously. The series shows a divide of the same space, commenting on the artificial distinction between work and home, art and life.