On view: August 14 – November 1 (during OACC open hours)
Wednesday–Saturday, noon–5 pm
She Isn’t a Metaphor reimagines mythological women not as symbols or ideals, but as powerful, complex women. Drawing from Hindu mythology and other traditions, this series of mixed media by artist Nimisha Doongarwal challenges how women have been used as symbols—Sita for purity, Draupadi for sacrifice, or Medusa for fear—while their own voices have been erased.
Through layered collage, textiles, and paint, these figures are brought into the present, where they speak back. They are not here to uphold expectations. They are here to reclaim space, tell their truths, and offer new ways of seeing ourselves. This work isn’t just about the past, it’s about now. It’s a call to unlearn, to reimagine, and to find strength in stories told on our own terms.
The work asks the viewer, “What parts of the past do we still carry? What do we need to let go of in order to become whole?”
She Isn’t a Metaphor is for anyone who has felt unseen or unheard. It’s about more than reclaiming the past, it’s about reimagining the future. These figures aren’t just remembered, they are rewritten, reawakened, and ready to speak for themselves.
About the Artist
Nimisha Doongarwal is a San Francisco-based mixed-media artist originally from India. Her work explores identity, memory, and migration through layered compositions that blend traditional Indian textiles, painting, collage, and archival imagery. Rooted in South Asian craft and personal experience, her art challenges fixed notions of identity, offering instead a space of transformation and resilience.
Nimisha’s work has been exhibited at institutions including the de Young Museum, the San Francisco International Airport, and the Museum of Northern California Art. She has been featured in Forbes, ArtMarket, Suboart and Sfumato art magazines.
Find more of Nimisha’s work online at www.nimishart.com or on Instagram @nimishart.
