A Call to Arts

Artist Richie Nath's erotic work tells an evocative tale of his many identities, finds SUSHANT KUMAR

- SUSHANT KUMAR

EYES ON YOU Nath poses in front of untitled artworks for his show, This Too Shall Pass, at Art Basel in Miami

Queer. Half-Indian, half-Burmese. Refugee. For artist Richie Nath, unpacking and embracing the many layers of his identity hasn't been easy. Today, his art is a reflection of that journey, a painterly exploration of who he is and where he comes from.

Born in Yangon to an Indian father and a Burmese mother, Nath often felt different and left out. "I was not only joked about for being effeminate, I was also considered less attractive by the general public because I was darker. All of that really made me hate myself," the artist shares over a call. Like most Asian parents, his mother wanted him to grow up to become a doctor, a lawyer or a diplomat. Nath, however, had other plans. He wanted to pursue a creative career, but deep down he knew he would have to pick something commercial that would help him make more money.

KISS ME MORE Nath's 'Ephemeral Encounters' is a quintessential representation of his queer gaze