Avantika Bawa’s (b. 1973) practice emphasizes the intersections where drawing and sculpture, stasis and motion, and the functional and non-functional intermingle. Geographic and architectural differences in landscape strongly inform her work. Bearing in mind a location’s prior use, she creates wall drawings and/or paintings, repurposing and rearranging functional objects to create temporary installations on-site. Her approach is influenced by Minimalism and its emphasis on reductive form, modularity, and experimentation with scale. These installations invite the viewer to experience the crossroads between the utilitarian, historical, and aesthetic qualities of each space.

The artist's extensive portfolio of solo exhibitions spans decades, showcasing a profound engagement with contemporary themes, site-specific installations, and diverse media. Recent highlights include "Modular Waltz" at Gallery Blueprint12, New Delhi (forthcoming, 2025), "A Brutal Affair" at the Center for Contemporary Art, Portland, OR (2024), and "simplenothingsimplesomething" at University Galleries of Illinois State University (2023). Notable past exhibitions include "Charged Voids" at Portland Community College (2022), "Constructing Darkness" at Agenda, Portland, OR (2021), and "APEX (COLISEUM)" at Portland Art Museum, OR (2018). Significant earlier works such as "Parallel Faults" (2017) at Los Angeles Valley College and "Aqua Mapping" (2015) at the White Box of the University of Oregon highlight the artist's thematic focus on spatial narratives. Milestone exhibitions like “A Pink Scaffold in the Rann” (2019-20) in Kutch, India,  "Flood. Control" (2014) at Schneider Museum of Art and "Mapping (Kochi)" (2013) at Pepper House in India delve into the interplay of geography and temporality.

The artist’s solo projects further extend her exploration of site-specific narratives. Recent installations include "Scaffolds by the Sea" (2024) in Bondi Beach, Sydney, and "Pink Scaffolds in the Pink City" (2024) at Madhavendra Palace, Jaipur, curated by Peter Nagy. Landmark works like "Mineral Spirits" for Portland2016: A Biennial of Contemporary Art and "Neon Laundry" (2015), a City of Seattle project, underscore the artist's commitment to addressing local architecture and histories.

Bawa’s group exhibitions include "Wall Flowers" (2024) at Greene House, GA, curated by Craig Drennen, and "Pattern, the Grid, and Other Systems" (2023) at the Fashion Institute of Technology, New York. In 2023, the artist's work was featured in "SITE Seeing" at Charlotte Street Foundation, Kansas City, and "Mycelial Legacies" at Bikaner House, New Delhi, in conjunction with Anant Art Gallery, curated by Deeksha Nath. Other significant exhibitions include "E/Merge" (2021-22) at the National Indo American Museum of Art, Lombard, IL, curated by Shaurya Kumar, and "Template Days" (2021) at the University of Kentucky Museum, KY, curated by Stuart Horodoner. In 2020, the artist exhibited at "Hallie Ford Fellows" at Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art, Eugene, OR, and "Endless State" at Skowhegan Office, New York. The artist also participated in "On Big Drawing" at Columbia College, Chicago, and "The End is Near" at Atlanta Contemporary Arts Center, curated by Craig Drennen. Earlier exhibitions include "10 Years of Nes" in Iceland (2018), "Sightseeing" at Charlotte Street Foundation, Kansas City, MO (2023), and "Costumes, Reverence, and Forms", held at Vox Populi, Philadelphia, and the Pacific Northwest College of Art, Portland, OR. The artist also participated in "Portland2016: A Biennial of Contemporary Art", presented by Disjecta and curated by Michelle Grabner and "Whorled Explorations" (2015) at the Kochi Biennale, India.

Avantika lives in Portland, Oregon, USA.