The Importance of Community and Human Connection with Krithika Sengottaiyan

At Nasdaq, we believe in the power of rewriting tomorrow and recognize that art is a powerful medium to conceptualize this vision. 

The Nasdaq Artist Initiative engaged creators around the world, asking artists to create submissions that represent Nasdaq and the future of technology and human advancement to introduce as permanent installations at Nasdaq headquarters in Times Square. We spoke with Krithika Sengottaiyan about her piece, "Connected."

Could you please tell us about your art piece, its name and what it represents?

My art piece mainly emphasizes how important community is and how beautiful kindness can be. Technology has helped us break down so many barriers and stay connected at all times, helping all of us in every aspect of our lives and building stronger human connections no matter the circumstances. I wanted my artwork to embody that. While creating this art piece, I hope people feel a sense of warmth and hope while looking at it. I call it "Connected." 

What themes do you explore through your artwork overall?

I strongly believe in human connection and the importance of community. No matter what ethnicity, religion or part of the globe you're from, we are all connected, and we all depend on each other one way or the other. My artwork is just another reminder of how important and beautiful human connection is. 

How do your experiences help shape the themes you choose to portray?

I'm an international student; I moved to this country by myself. Everything that I am right now is because of how kind people have been towards me. From my teachers to fellow artists, they have all helped in shaping my perspective on life immensely. So I just wanted to reflect that kindness in my art.

Why did you choose these colors and mediums to present your piece?

 I am a big fan of things that are not perfect, I find it to be authentic. So I decided to hand draw and transfer the illustration into a digital medium for the freedom it provides me when it comes to experimenting with colors. I created a little color palette that added character to every person in the illustration, yet I wanted to keep the illustration neutral, so I decided to keep a neutral background and use bold colors for accents. 

What does it mean to have your artwork in Times Square?

An absolute dream! I have always romanticized New York City like many others. To have a work of mine that embodies my values as an artist in Times Square is surreal—to some extent, even emotional, as my work is at such an iconic landmark spreading hope and positivity. As an international student, this kind of recognition is something I had only dreamt of.

The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.