The Colorado South Asian Artists Group, founded by artist Bala Thiagarajan, is celebrating its first anniversary with its second exhibition, "Grounded," on view at the Center for the Arts Evergreen. The collective, which began with six members, has grown to nearly 50 artists of Indian, Pakistani, Nepali, and Indo-Caribbean descent, aiming to increase the visibility and community of South Asian artists in a region where they have felt excluded.
The group's rapid growth and its exhibition in a venue not typically known for culturally diverse programming highlight a significant demand for representation and belonging in Colorado's arts landscape. Thiagarajan's live creation of a traditional "Sikku Kolam" sand drawing, meant to disappear, underscores the collective's mission to bring lived cultural experiences into the public realm and challenge perceptions of who is seen and represented in local art institutions.