FORMAL ABOUT ME...
Jetshri Bhadviya is a curator, educator, designer, and new media artist whose work explores the relationship between the human body, space, and its emotional, cultural, and metaphysical dimensions through video, sound, performance, and photography. Her creative practice investigates surreal and unstructured bodily states, often examining how bodies are perceived and contextualized within physical environments.
She holds an MFA in Photography from Cranbrook Academy of Art and a BFA in Studio Arts from the American University in Dubai. Since 2015, she has taught as an adjunct at the College for Creative Studies and Oakland University in Michigan.
As a Curatorial Assistant at the Detroit Institute of Arts, Jetshri supported exhibitions exploring themes of identity, migration, environment, and representation, with a strong emphasis on inclusion and highlighting underrepresented artistic voices. She also served as the Arts and Culture Commissioner for Hamtramck, Michigan.
Jetshri’s exhibitions have been featured at institutions including the Grand Rapids Art Museum, Kresge Arts Foundation, and David Klein Gallery in Michigan, as well as internationally at Dubai’s Sheikha Manal Young Artist Foundation, where she was recognized as a top-ten artist in 2011. She received the prestigious Toby Dewan Lewis Fellowship Award in 2015, honoring outstanding MFA graduates across the United States.
**Credit to Photographer Jeff Cancelosi for this beautiful portrait of me.
A LITTLE ABOUT MY WAY OF THINKING, MY ART PRACTICE AND RESEARCH INTERESTS...
As an artist, I explore the layered complexities of personal identity, cultural heritage, and the human experience through photography, performance, sound, and sculpture. My practice is deeply influenced by my upbringing in Jainism, an ancient Indian tradition centered on non-violence, introspection, and spiritual growth. In parallel, my early training in Kathak, a classical Indian dance form, fostered a deep appreciation for rhythm, storytelling, and discipline. These formative influences continue to shape my exploration of the dynamic balance between tradition and personal expression.
While the principles of restraint and detachment inform my philosophical lens, my artistic work reaches beyond these foundations to investigate how social frameworks shape and sometimes limit our sense of self. Through performance and its photographic traces, I build spaces where conventional identity markers can be momentarily suspended. Whether wrapped in ropes adorned with bells—evocative of cultural expectations—or veiled in translucent fabric forms, my body becomes a medium for inquiry and transformation.
The photographs I create are more than documentation; they hold a tension between presence and disappearance. By partially obscuring the figure, I invite the viewer to reconsider the ways we interpret identity—through appearance, origin, and biography—while opening a space for ambiguity and becoming.
Sound is an equally vital element in my work, building immersive sonic environments that mirror and expand the visual. In #CheckYourMisconceptionsAtTheDoor, for example, I emerge from a shapeless form as an anonymous voice asks:
“Can you see me?
Why do you think I’m here?
I am unwilling to disclose my identity.
I’m no one.
I’m not from here.
I’m not from anywhere.”
This becomes both a personal statement and an open prompt, inviting the audience to reflect on perception and presence. In an increasingly categorized world, I offer a space for fluidity—where the undefined self can be both powerful and poetic.
COMMUNITY STATEMENT...
I am dedicated to cultivating inclusive and engaging spaces that support diverse creative voices and encourage meaningful cultural dialogue. Through my work as a curator, educator, and artist, I aim to build platforms where individuals from a variety of backgrounds can share their stories, ideas, and artistic visions. Whether through exhibitions, performances, or collaborative initiatives, I focus on creating opportunities for thoughtful engagement around themes of identity, visibility, and cultural exchange. My goal is to foster understanding and collaboration within the arts and beyond, encouraging open dialogue and shared learning. Through this work, I hope to support a more connected and responsive artistic community.
THE EDUCATOR IN ME...
With over a decade of teaching experience, I guide students in lens-based media by integrating technical instruction with conceptual development. My approach is responsive to the needs of individual learners, emphasizing creative experimentation and critical inquiry. Beyond the classroom, I connect students with real-world opportunities—exhibitions, internships, and collaborations—that help them grow as artists and cultural contributors. My teaching encourages curiosity, resilience, and a sense of purpose, empowering students to shape and participate in the evolving landscape of contemporary media and visual storytelling.
THE CURATOR IN ME...
As a curator, I strive to create thoughtful and welcoming spaces that reflect a wide range of artistic perspectives and lived experiences. I believe in the power of art to inspire reflection, spark dialogue, and deepen our understanding of the world around us. Through the exhibitions and projects I have curated, I aim to support creative expression, foster meaningful engagement, and encourage conversations that extend beyond the gallery space.