Deshna Shah

Deshna Shah explores how invisible systems shape perception, identity, and consciousness. Drawing from Jain philosophy and quantum theory, she investigates how decision-making is influenced by ancestral lineage, community and energetic frequency. Engaging with Anekantavada, the Jain principle of multiple truths, Shah examines the role of the observer in constructing reality. Her multidisciplinary practice often uses her cryptographic Twilight Language, developed from her multilingual and dyslexic experiences, to encode hidden thoughts. Playfulness is used as a strategic tool; games become symbolic of societal systems, drawing onlookers into deeper reflection through interaction and immersion. Her recent projects explore frequency as a non-verbal, intuitive form of communication.

Committed to community arts, Shah regularly leads workshops at museums, Jain centres, shopping malls, care homes and children’s centres. She is the founder of the U.K. South Asian Creatives group, through which she facilitates creative exchange and collaboration. Shah holds a First-Class BFA and MFA from the University of Oxford, where she received the Emery and Plachte Prizes, and was awarded the Fleet Fellowship at Princeton, focusing on Pre-Colonial India, Classical Indian Mythology, and Mantra. Her work has been exhibited at institutions such as Tate Modern, V&A, and Modern Art Oxford, with a solo show at Pembroke Gallery. In 2025, she was awarded the TAF Young Artist Award.

Personal website.