Payal Khanna
‘Hippie Girl’ 2025. Graphite and soft pastel on sanded (vertically) cotton paper; 4 panels, A2 each, arranged 2×2 grid, 118.9cm × 84.1cm.
Artist statement
Hippie Girl reimagines a found vintage photograph of a girl emerging from water, exploring how memory can be fragmented, layered, and misinterpreted.
Working with graphite and soft pastel, dissolved in water for parts such as; boat, lake, and the girl’s dress to enhance the effect of fluidity without compromising the graphite definition and a painterly softness. Evoking themes of anonymity, leisure, and nostalgia.
Influenced by artists (Maria Kontos & Rylie Payne) who use archival imagery to question historical truth, the drawing transforms candid moments into a darker, narrative-driven space. Through subtle modulation of tone and colour, the work reflects on how we reconstruct the past and the stories that water continues to hold.
Photographs: Anna Kucera
Acknowledgement of Country
ºÚÁÏÍø´óÊÂ¼Ç School of Art & Design stands on an important place of learning and exchange first occupied by the Bidjigal and Gadigal peoples.
We acknowledge the Bidjigal and Gadigal peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the land that our students and staff share, create and operate on. We pay our respects to Elders past and present and extend this respect to all First Nations peoples across Australia. Sovereignty has never been ceded.
