Alamelu Annamalai’s practice navigates themes of memory, identity, and cultural resonance through mixed media. She repurposes found books into resin-coated tiles, painting them with monochrome geometric patterns reminiscent of Chettinad tiles, tying her work to her cultural heritage. Using books from decommissioned libraries, her pieces reflect loss, nostalgia, and resilience. She has been exploring the feminine practice of Kolam, traditional Indian domestic floor designs for the last couple of years.
Her recent works delve into societal constructs, stigma, and the emotional weight of inherited stories. Inherited Silence (2025), a hand-engraved brass work, weaves together the permanence of metal with the fragility of human emotion. The repetitive engraving of the phrase “Not a criminal” reflects the internalized burdens of stigma, particularly surrounding mental health, and highlights the intersection of heritage and vulnerability.
In contrast, A Place That Holds (2025), a series of intricate drawings on paper, explores the evolving relationship between physical spaces and their emotional resonance. Fragmented floor plans, interwoven forms, and the silent presence of the crow evoke themes of privacy, shared histories, and ancestral memory. Together, these works create layered visual experiences that invite reflection on contemporary issues of belonging, silence, and resilience.
Alamelu completed her MFA at Oxford Brookes University (2021–2022) and her Bachelor of Visual Arts from Stella Maris College, Chennai (2011–2015).