Tangled Heritage Patterns (2025) , the third piece in this series, interweaves complex cultural elements to create a rich tapestry of identity. My artwork draws inspiration from the intricate geometric patterns of Islamic art, particularly those found in the Mexuar room of the Alhambra,  and combines them with the traditional Bengali folk art of Alpana.

The knotweave design, a hallmark of Islamic geometric decoration, features interlacing ribbons that symbolise the interconnectedness of identities. This continuous, unbroken pattern represents the eternal flow of cultural heritage and personal experience.

I employ principles of symmetrical repetition, mirroring the mathematical precision found in traditional Islamic art, where geometry expresses spiritual and philosophical concepts. Like Fragments of Reflection the use of vermilion colour and Khadi paper resonates with the cultural and historical significance of the Indian subcontinent.

The weaving pattern in Tangled Heritage Patterns creates an illusion of depth, with overlapping lines adding dimensionality to the work. This fusion of Islamic geometric patterns and Bengali folk art creates a visual metaphor for my multi-faceted cultural background.

Echoes of Whispering Waters (2025) is my personal exploration of my British-Bengali-Muslim heritage, inspired by Islamic and Bengali artistic traditions. This is the second piece of a larger series examining contemporary expressions of this complex identity through pattern and ornamentation.

My artwork draws inspiration from the Court of Lions in the Alhambra, Granada, known as the "Patio de los Leones". I'm captivated by its intricate geometric designs, particularly the central motif and its repetition, which form the basis of my artistic reinterpretation.

My process involves a fusion of traditional craftsmanship and digital techniques. Following the geometric construction of the design, I use precise laser-cutting to create intricate patterns on paper, which I then layer by hand. This meticulous technique allows me to build a complex composition, imbuing the work with both visual depth and intricate detail.

I've incorporated reimagined Alpana motifs within the Court of Lions. The vermilion colour and Khadi paper are intentional choices, resonating with their cultural and historical significance in the Indian subcontinent.

These elements serve as a canvas for cultural synthesis, allowing me to create a visual representation of my multi-faceted identity. Through this piece, I aim to bridge the architectural beauty of the Alhambra with the intricate patterns of Bengali folk art, creating a unique expression of my heritage that speaks to both tradition and contemporary artistic practice.

Fragments of Reflection (2025) is a personal exploration of my British-Bengali-Muslim heritage, inspired by Islamic and Bengali artistic traditions. This piece is part of a larger series stemming from my research on contemporary expressions of this intricate identity through pattern and ornamentation.

The artwork draws inspiration from the Mexuar, a section of the Nasrid palace complex in the Alhambra, Granada, known as the "place of counsel". I'm fascinated by the intricate geometric designs, particularly the rosette patterns and star formations, which form the basis of my artistic reinterpretation.

My process involves a fusion of traditional craftsmanship and digital techniques. Following the geometric construction of the design, I use precise laser-cutting to create intricate patterns on paper, which I then layer by hand. This meticulous technique allows me to build a complex composition, imbuing the work with both visual depth and intricate detail.

The foundation of the artwork features a reimagined Alpana design, a Bengali folk art traditionally created by women for religious ceremonies. The vermilion colour and Khadi paper are intentional choices, resonating with their cultural and historical significance in the Indian subcontinent.

These elements serve as a canvas for cultural synthesis, allowing me to create a visual representation of my multi-faceted identity.

(2024)

25cm x 25cm x 5cm

The artwork features intricate rosettes and star patterns characteristic of the Mexuar room in the Alhambra Palace, including 16-pointed and 8-pointed stars arranged in complex compositions. It emerges as an intricate artwork through the layering of precisely laser-cut Khadi paper. This technique allows for the gradual construction of a complex geometric design, imbuing the piece with both visual depth and intricate detail. At the foundation of the artwork lies a reimagined Alpana motif, a traditional Bengali folk art form serves as the base layer, acting as a canvas for cultural synthesis and blending seamlessly with the overlaying Islamic geometric patterns.

(2023)

Constructing Identity: Contemporary Expressions of British-Bengali-Muslim Heritage through Pattern and Ornamentation

Unfolding (2023) is crafted from gold screen-printed handmade Nepalese Lokhta paper, drawing on the rich tradition of origami. Its deliberate folds embody rhythm and meditation, inviting viewers into a contemplative experience. The double-sided form reflects cultural duality, while the play of light, shadow, and movement adds depth and complexity, transforming the piece into a dynamic three-dimensional artwork.

Sangam (2019 - 2024) measuring 50cm x 50cm, draws inspiration from the 16-fold Rosette geometric patterns found in the Bahia Palace, Marrakech. Crafted from acrylic felt and handmade Khadi and Nepalese Lokhta paper. These artworks acts as a conceptual reverse of the Squared Circle, utilising remnants from that work to create a new dialogue between architectural ornamentation and contemporary artistic interpretation.

The Squared Circle (2019 - 2024) artworks, measuring 50cm x 50cm, draws inspiration from the 16-fold Rosette geometric patterns found in the Bahia Palace, Marrakech. Crafted from acrylic felt and handmade Khadi and Nepalese Lokhta paper, the piece explores the harmonious fusion of circular and square forms, reflecting traditional Islamic geometry’s balance between symmetry and complexity. By referencing the palace’s intricate tilework, this work embodies a timeless dialogue between architectural ornamentation and contemporary artistic interpretation.

26 Feb 2022 – 3 Apr 2022

Tansa, the Japanese word for exploration, is the link that binds this Anglo-Japanese exhibition.

About

The project began with exploration – a research visit to textile workshops, galleries and studios in Japan, undertaken by 18 UK artists, led by Professor Lesley Millar, Director of the International Textile Research Centre at the University for the Creative Arts, Farnham.

South Hill Park will be hosting an exhibition of large works – which draw from the techniques, methods, research and approaches learnt in Japan – to produce a celebration of Tansa: Japanese threads of influence.

Artists: Dr Beverly Ayling-Smith, Dr Gail Baxter, Susan Blandford, Dr Linda Brassington, Jennifa Chowdhury, Evie Francis, Janice Gunner, Sian Highwood, Peta Jacobs, Jennifer Jones, Annette Mills, Gina Pierce, Dr Carol Quarini, Paula Reason, Hermione Thomson, Dawn Thorne, Kendall Clarke.

FINDING STAR

(2022)

Finding Star (2022) is an artwork inspired by Jennifa’s research visit to Japan, particularly the striking architecture of the Miho Museum in Kyoto. Nestled among majestic mountains, the museum’s unique design and serene environment offer an ideal setting for showcasing historic artifacts, deeply influencing Jennifa’s creative vision. She was especially captivated by the museum’s geometric structures, filtered natural light, and Zen-inspired ambiance, including distinctive features like the circular window and aluminum louvers.

This piece uniquely blends traditional and contemporary materials, textures, and techniques to reflect Jennifa’s enduring fascination with pattern, colour, and structure. The result is a mesmerising visual experience that echoes the harmonious balance and contemplative spirit of the Miho Museum itself.

(2022)

Tansa , the Japanese word for exploration, is the link that binds this Anglo-Japanese exhibition. The project began with exploration – a research visit to textile workshops, galleries and studios in Japan undertaken by eighteen UK artists, led by Professor Lesley Millar, Director of the International Textile Research Centre. All of the UK artists are involved in higher education at the University for the Creative Arts as lecturers, Post-Doctoral researchers and MA and PhD students. The Japanese artists they met included National Living Treasures, Grand Masters and renowned contemporary textile artists. Together, the group of artists from the UK and Japan will exhibit new work in the Tansa exhibition. As the renowned indigo dyer Hiroyuki Shindo has described it, the exhibition, ‘…seems to be becoming a bridge tying UK and Japan’ (2020).

ABHYANTARA

(2022)

This work explores the philosophical concept of 'Ma,' representing the space within which we exist. It embodies unoccupied space as energy filled with possibilities, echoing ephemeral experiences. Explored through architectural context, it focuses on the intimate space between fundamental structures, emphasising negative space and harmony. Traditional Shibori patterns and repeated motifs, inspired by past connections, are encapsulated in a vessel symbolising life, unity, and diversity. The viewers' interaction enhances gratitude, forming a rhythmic visual experience with geometric surface complexity.

(2019)

The Fragmented Circles (2019) installation features opaque and semi-transparent digitally printed acrylic discs, connected by delicate golden intersection stitches. This printing technique allows Jennifa to reinterpret traditional motifs through the delicate contrast of opacity and translucency, creating a contemporary dialogue between past and present. At the core of the work, the gold stitching unites the fragmented elements into a harmonious whole, symbolising connection, interdependence, and the intricate balance of fragility, strength, and beauty found in human relationships.

As viewers move around the installation, the shifting light and shadow cast by their silhouettes transform the pattern, creating a dynamic and engaging experience that is truly immersive. In her work, Jennifa hopes that her audience will take something with them that will both intrigue them visually as well as touch them emotionally.

(2019)

This Vessel Series (2019) symbolically explores cultural boundaries and the complex identity of femininity, drawing deeply from personal and collective maternal experiences.

Through the interplay of light and shadow surrounding the installation, the work invites reflection on the dynamic relationship between inner and outer selves, and the fluid borders between public and private life.

Inspired by traditional Islamic, Bengali, and Western patterns and motifs—such as geometry, Alpana, and lace, as well as cultural symbols like Alta, Bindi, and Khol—the series reimagines these elements through gold-thread stitching to evoke memories of Jennifa’s mother, paternal aunt, and great aunt.

This layered narrative weaves together strength, connection, spirituality, and celebration within the female experience across generations and cultures.

(2019)

Jennifa experiments with double-layered textiles enhanced by laser cutting to explore depth, texture, and intricate patterning. By layering two fabrics—she creates a complex surface that reveals subtle interplay between layers.

The precision of laser cutting allows for delicate, lace-like motifs and geometric shapes to be cut through both layers or selectively pierced, amplifying the dimensionality of the textile. This technique invites shifting perceptions as light filters differently through, producing dynamic shadows and enhanced tactile richness.

Through this process, Jennifa pushes the boundaries of textile art, merging technology and tradition to create visually compelling, multi-layered compositions.

(2019)

Layered textiles are a powerful technique in fabric art used to create depth, texture, and visual complexity. By combining multiple layers of fabric—each with differing transparencies, patterns, or textures—artists can build rich, multi-dimensional surfaces that invite closer inspection. This layering enhances the perception of depth as underlying materials subtly reveal themselves through upper layers, producing a dynamic interplay of light and shadow. Such depth adds tactile interest and visual intrigue, allowing textiles to move beyond flatness into sculptural or immersive experiences. Jennifa’s work often employs layering to amplify the dimensionality of textiles, enriching the emotional and sensory impact of the piece.

(2018)

Alpana - Reimagined (2018) explores the creation of intricate, ephemeral artworks using natural materials sourced locally from the Heathlands, such as pinecones, stones, and birchwood, combined with red Holi pigment. Drawing conceptual inspiration from the Heathlands landscape and the spiritual dimensions embedded in Bengali folk culture, this work reflects the visual language and cultural symbolism characteristic of Bengali women’s ritual art. Through this practice, the artwork connects regional materiality with the embodied spirituality of Bengali women’s ritual practices, offering a nuanced perspective on material culture in contemporary art.