Suminder Virk

Suminder Virk (b.1969) is a painter who draws inspiration from the sharp angles, clean lines, and repetitive geometric patterns of Brutalist and Modernist architecture, particularly in her home city of Chandigarh.

Her practice explores formalist concerns - colour, line, space, and composition, while remaining deeply attuned to the materiality, physicality and possibility of paint.

Through the motifs of buildings, texture, and colour, she delves into personal memories, nostalgia, and a strong visual connection to her Indian heritage. A distinctive element in her technique is the use of meticulously applied oil paint lines, inspired by the traditional methods of Henna tattooing - a practice of cultural significance that echoes throughout his work.

Her creativity extends beyond painting into photography and installation, where she is captivated by the subtle interplay of light and shadow in urban and in-between spaces. These quiet, observational works evoke a sense of transit, connecting viewers to journeys taken, or ones that are still unfolding.

Suminder studied at Birmingham City University, completing both a BA (Hons) in Fine Art and a Master of Fine Arts. She also trained at Warwickshire College, where she first began developing her formal practice.She has since exhibited widely, with recent shows including RBSA Drawing Prize (2025) and his solo exhibition Echoes of Chandigarh: A Linear Journey (2025). Her work has been recognised by multiple awards, including First Prize at the UK Artists Exhibition (2017) and Second Prize in the LSA Abstract Art Competition (2024).

With each piece, Suminder constructs a visual language that bridges personal memory and architectural form.