International Visiting Artist, Veshalini Naidu, will share information about her project, “Skin & Flowers” and a performance followed by a Q&A as a part of Center Sundays.

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Veshalini Naidu is an illustrator, spoken word poet and theatremaker.

In her ongoing watercolor series, Skin & Flowers Veshalini investigates gender, sexuality and toxic masculinity in Malaysia. The visual imagery of the work was inspired by a line from Nayyirah Waheed’s poem, “less”:

i want more ‘men’

with flowers falling from their skin.

For Veshalini, the LGBTQ experience, more often than not, is one of pain, especially in Malaysia. Remaining soft in spite of it is an even greater feat. Skin & Flowers developed from a  hunger or imagery that could show an alternative such a reality, to love, to be loved, to belong, to live and not just survive, and have your softness pour out of your skin felt vital.