Kashink paints the town red: The French street artist brings vibrant murals to Chandigarh

As part of Wall Art India – 5th Edition, the Alliance Française de Chandigarh is being transformed into a live canvas as French street artist Kashink paints in bold, unapologetic strokes from Feb 19 to 22. Over four days of live mural creation, face art, music, and collective engagement, she is not merely completing an artwork but opening conversations. Known for her colours, gender-fluid characters and feminist lens, Kashink treats public walls as spaces for dialogue.“It’s my first time in India and I’m excited. I’m already loving it,” she said on the opening day of her mural project at the Alliance Française. After exploring the city, she described it as vibrant and visually inspiring. “I’m very inspired by the colours here. It feels very colourful.”Choosing public spaces over galleries has always been a conscious decision. “When I started painting murals, the most important thing was making art accessible. Not everyone goes to galleries or museums. It’s important to take art to the people.” For her, the street fosters conversations that enclosed spaces often cannot. While her work centres on strong portraiture, each location shapes the final outcome. “There are always different vibes and energies. The portraits may stay similar, but the pace, colours and composition change depending on where I am.”Identity and freedom remain central themes. “Identity is something we discover throughout our lives. The more we understand who we are, the more comfortable we become.” For Kashink, art is about pushing boundaries while finding balance. “I feel lucky to have the space to question and express freely.” Collective energy fuels her process. “Feedback gives me good energy. When you paint outside, reactions and conversations nourish and empower me.” She embraces spontaneity, never sketching beforehand. “I create on site and express what I feel in that moment.”Her bright, almost childlike colours and bold lines are deliberate. “I like being visible,” she explained. For her, colour is not just aesthetic; it fosters interaction and gives her hope. Her art, she concluded, is “Colourful. Bold. Full of love.”After more than 20 years in street art, Kashink has witnessed the landscape evolve. Speaking about India, where discussions on gender and identity are gradually expanding, she believes the country is at a significant juncture. “We are at a crossroads. A new era is coming,” she reflected. While change can feel uncertain, she sees it as an opportunity for a more equal future, with greater rights, access and freedom, especially for women. Reflecting on her own journey, she noted that when she began, there were only a handful of women painting murals in France. Today, there are hundreds. For her, that growth is proof that visibility and persistence truly matter.

Kashink paints the town red: The French street artist brings vibrant murals to Chandigarh

Sadhika Sharma

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