The School of Design Galleries at Louisiana Tech University will present perpetual practice, a solo exhibition by multidisciplinary artist Preetika Rajgariah, from Oct. 14 through Dec. 9.
An artist talk will take place at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 14, in TVAC 103, followed by a reception at 6 p.m. in the TVAC Galleries.
Multidisciplinary artist Preetika Rajgariah (b. 1985) draws from her layered identity as an immigrant, a queer brown woman, and a Southerner. Rajgariah’s work delves into themes of feminism, cultural appropriation, intersectionality, longing, and belonging.
Since 2019, Rajgariah has transformed yoga mats — objects loaded with connotations of mass production, consumption, and erasure of South Asian identity — into expansive surfaces for painting and collage. Through donated and thrifted mats, she creates vibrant tableaus that resist waste and reclaim visibility. Collaged sari fabric sourced from her mother, extended community, and global textile histories becomes the skin of her figures, weaving matrilineal narratives into contemporary discourse. The resulting works confront globalization, tradition, and cultural exchange, while also honoring embodied memory and preservation of heritage.
Rajgariah’s intuitive process bridges meditation and materiality, stretching beyond conventional formats to challenge oppressive systems and champion marginalized voices. Her work offers space for healing, visibility, and accessible modes of self-care.
Rajgariah has exhibited widely with performances at Asia Society Texas and Untitled Art Fair Miami; installations at Women & Their Work, Art League Houston, and Material Fair in Mexico City; and a large-scale public commission at Rice University. She has held residencies at the Houston Contemporary Craft Center, Oxbow School of Art, the Vermont Studio Center, the Golden Foundation, and the Momentary at Crystal Bridges. Her work has been reviewed in the Brooklyn Rail, and she is a recipient of an Artadia Award and Idea Fund grant (2021).
“My work is an exploration of my layered identity — as an immigrant, as a brown woman, as an ‘American,’ as a Southerner, as a queer person,” Rajgariah said. “Through nontraditional materials, I embody making as meditation while challenging oppressive systems, championing marginalized voices, and promoting healing and accessibility to wellness and self-care.”
Gallery Hours
Sunday: 2–6 p.m.
Monday–Thursday: 8 a.m.–6 p.m.
Friday: 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
Saturday: Closed
The School of Design Galleries are located at Louisiana Tech University, 1 Mayfield Avenue, Ruston, LA 71270.