New Delhi, June 20, 2025 — In a powerful and deeply personal showcase at the Queer Art Exhibition held at The Lalit Hotel, artist Sirius has emerged as one of the boldest voices of queer expression in contemporary Indian art. Her work, layered with metaphor and emotion, is not just a reflection of her identity—it is a declaration.
Sirius, who identifies as queer, uses her art to draw compelling parallels between her community and the mysterious creatures of the deep sea. These marine beings—often labelled as dangerous or threatening—are, in reality, innocent, gentle, and misunderstood. “That’s exactly how society looks at queer people,” she said during an artist talk. “Feared, judged, othered—but never truly understood.”
Her artwork features fluid, vivid representations of deep-sea life—bioluminescent jellyfish, ghostly squids, and elegantly coiled sea serpents—each symbolising the beauty of queerness and the pain of misjudgment. “My art is my identity,” Sirius declared. “It’s how I exist in a world that often refuses to see me.”
But Sirius’s boldness doesn’t stop at the canvas. Speaking to a captivated audience, she addressed a pressing issue that many shy away from: how queerness is portrayed to children. “The problem isn’t queerness,” she said, “the problem is what children are taught about it.” She criticised the way many parents pass on prejudice to the next generation, telling them—directly or indirectly—that queer people are abnormal or dangerous.
Her message was clear: sensitisation must start young. “Children don’t hate—they learn to. We need to stop feeding them fear,” Sirius said, receiving nods and applause from many in the room. She called for inclusive parenting and education, where queerness is acknowledged as a natural part of human identity—not a deviation from it.
The exhibition, with Sirius at its helm, has become more than a display of visual art. It’s a protest, a plea, and a promise rolled into one. Through bold brushstrokes and unflinching honesty, Sirius is telling the world: queer lives are not threats, they are truths.
As Pride Month continues, voices like hers are helping shape a more empathetic and open society—one where the deep sea of queer experience is not feared, but embraced.
