Illustrators celebrate dual heritage in new London exhibition

Francesca Tiley and Aleesha Nandhra’s joint show features prints and objects inspired by Mexican and Indian folk art

Artwork by Francesca Tiley (left) and Aleesha Nandhra

Illustrators Francesca Tiley and Aleesha Nandhra are holding a new exhibition, Meet Me at the Market, which is a joint venture that visually explores their dual cultural heritage.

The exhibition will consist of luminous screenprints, bold hand-painted signs and a series of 3D models. With Tiley having British-Mexican heritage and Nandhra with British-Indian roots, the pair said they were inspired “by the many crossovers and similarities that our cultures share”, including “a rich history of printmaking, folk art and a love of bold colours”.

Artwork by Francesca Tiley

Harking back to Mexico’s rich culture of arts and craft, Tiley creates playful patterns with intricate shapes that are full of colour. “I want to make work that people can relate to, drawn with a warmth to them – even if they are mundane, everyday objects,” she explains.

Nandhra’s designs capture the spirit of whimsical, Indian folk art with decorative screen prints of Punjabi tigers and bright papier-mâché sculptures.

Artwork by Aleesha Nandhra

The exhibition runs from May 17–30 at Hello Love, London, hellolove.org; francescatiley.com; aleeshanandhra.com